IRAQ: Top Yezidi commander in Shigur (Şengal) killed by Turkish drone

SHIGUR, Iraq — Yesterday, top Yezidi commander of the Sinjar Resistance Units (Yekîneyên Berxwedana Şengalê, YBŞ) and Co-Chair of the Autonomous Administration in Shigur (Şengal) Marwan Badal Khodeda Al-Zaro was assassinated by a Turkish drone while driving in wester Nineveh Governorate, Iraq. Two of his children were reportedly with him at the time.

The YBŞ is an official member of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) and closely allied with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan, PKK).

A Turkish airstrike in Sinjar in northwest Iraq kills Marwan Badal Hajji (nom de guerre: Dijwar) commander of Yazidi militia YBŞ.

This is the 4th top YBŞ commander assassinated by Turkey since 2018.

YBŞ is a PKK-backed Yazidi militia, allied with the Iran-backed Shia militias. pic.twitter.com/EkYv9OhLii

— Abdulla Hawez (@abdullahawez) December 7, 2021

Many parties condemned the Turkish strike, as well as the silence of the international community and Iraqi government. The Yezidi House in Mount Şengal issued a statement condemning the Turkish targeting of the Khansur district, where Co-Chair of the Autonomous Administration Al-Zaro was assassinated. The statement also condemned the silence of the Iraqi government and the international community regarding the successive Turkish attacks, stating that the Iraqi government had failed to resolve the security and administrative issues in the predominantly Yezidi area.

General Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Mazloum Abdi declared via Twitter that the attack that targeted the Co-Chair of Şengal Administration and his children is a continuation of Turkey’s drone campaign which has targeted military officials, politicians, and civilians.

“Opening the air for Turkish drones to target civilians will lead to unprecedented massacres,” wrote Abdi. “The international community bears the responsibility to stop the Turkish violations and protect civilians.”

الهجوم الذي استهدف رئيس إدارة شنكال مروان بدل وأطفاله، يكرر مشهد مجزرة قامشلو.
فتح الأجواء أمام المسيرات التركية لاستهداف الآمنين وفق أهوائها، سيؤدي لمجازر غير مسبوقة. المجتمع الدولي يتحمل مسؤولية وقف الانتهاكات وحماية المدنيين.

نتقدم بالتعازي لعائلة الشهيد مروان وللشعب الأيزيدي pic.twitter.com/HcfjYBK0tc

— Mazloum Abdî مظلوم عبدي (@MazloumAbdi) December 7, 2021

The Executive Council of the Democratic Autonomous Administration (DAA) of North and East Syria condemned the international silence about Turkey’s deadly attacks, saying that they were clear violations of international law. The Council demanded that the airspace in North and East Syria and northern Iraq be closed and called on Erbil and Baghdad to assume their responsibilities in preventing the Turkish violations.