Kurdish forces liberate Shingal (Sinjar) from ISIS

November 14, 2015
Issue 
Yezidi resistance fighters in Shingal, 2015. Photo: flickr.com/kurdishstruggle

The town of Shingal (in Kurdish or "Sinjar" in Arabic) in Iraq's Nineveh Province was declared liberated from ISIS forces, which had held the town since last year, on November 13. The town is mostly inhabited by the Kurdish religious minority community of Yazidis. The town was liberated by Iraqi Kurdish forces, fighting alongside Yazadi militias and fighters from the left-wing Turkish-based Kurdish Workers Party (PKK).

The PKK is currently under attack from the Turkish state, which is besieging much of Turkish Kurdistan, despite having maintained a ceasefire and taken part in peace talks. The PKK is also listed as a "terrorist" group in various countries, including Australia, at the behest of the Turkish state and despite a growing campaign to have to have the Kurdish resistance fighters removed.

See of Shingal liberated by Kurdish forces.

reported October 13:

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The People's Defence Forces (HPG - Military wing of the Kurdish Workers Party -- PKK) Shingal Command and the Shingal Resistance Units (YBÅž) General Command announced in a written statement that Shingal (Shengal) town centre has been liberated from ISIS occupation.

The joint statement said that the HPG and YBÅž forces had inflicted severe blows on ISIS gangs during the offensive in the Shilo area that started on October 8, after which they launched an operation to liberate villages in west Shingal on October 31.

HPG Shingal Command and YBÅž General Command said they present a free Shingal to the people on the second day of the offensive launched on Shingal town centre and surrounding villages yesterday.

According to the statement, the operation to liberate the villages and surrounding areas of Shingal is going on, and a detailed statement will be released later.

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