Iraq to Disarm and Absorb Sinjar Resistance Units into National Army
Iraqi authorities said the Sinjar Resistance Units will lay down arms and be incorporated into the Iraqi army under Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi.
Iraqi officials confirmed that the Sinjar Resistance Units (YBS) will disarm and be merged into the Iraqi army, a process overseen by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and announced by military spokesman Sabah al-Numan. The integration, set to start on Monday, will transfer security duties for Sinjar Mountain to federal agencies, aligning with Iraq’s constitutional ban on non-state armed groups. Authorities framed the action as part of a broader effort to bring all weapons under government control.
The decision follows the PKK’s self-declared dissolution after Turkey’s 2024 terror-free initiative championed by Devlet Bahçeli and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Ankara and Baghdad have been coordinating closely to eliminate PKK footholds, with recent Turkish reports of PKK evacuations from Metina reinforcing the regional push for stability.
Why it matters
The integration aims to remove armed Kurdish militias, strengthening Iraq’s state monopoly on force and regional security with Turkey.
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