Shi'ite Paramilitaries Recognize No Borders: SLC MPs




ERBIL— Four lawmakers from the Iraqi Vice President Nouri al-Maliki's State of Law Coalition (SLC) warn Kurdistan Region leadership that the Shi'ite paramilitaries of Hashd al-Shaabi do not recognize any borders.


Askandar Watut, Nahla Hababi, Falih Khaz Ali and Abdulrahman Wayzi stated on Wednesday that the call by Kurdistan Region authorities on Shi'ite forces to withdraw from Sinjar areas should be overlooked as it is just a "political ploy."


"Hashd does not recognize any borders, as the entire territory [where the force has presence] is Iraqi soil," the SLC MP said, demanding the Shi'ite militias not to be affected by decisions of Kurdistan authorities.


Responding to the MPs, Salar Mohammed Jabari, deputy for Peshmerga's Chief of Staff, told BasNews they have warned Hashd forces to stop violating the agreements and withdraw from the areas under the control of Peshmerga forces.


"Hashd forces should leave the area after completing their mission," he said.


According to an earlier agreement between the Iraqi government and Kurdistan Region administration, the areas to the south of the Kurdish Yezidi populated town of Sinjar and the west of Ba'aj (both in Nineveh province) had to be jointly freed from Islamic State (IS) by Iraqi army and Peshmerga without the paramilitaries.


However, the Shi'ite militias not only entered the area but from Sinjar on Syria's border entered the neighboring country.

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