Turkish strikes on Sinjar (2018)

Operation Tigris Shield
Part of the Turkey-PKK conflict
Date15 August 2018
LocationSnune, Sinjar, Iraqi Kurdistan
Result Successfully kills targeted YBŞ's political leader
Belligerents
 Turkey Sinjar Resistance Units (YBŞ)
Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK)
Commanders and leaders
Turkey Unknown Zaki Shingali (Ismail Ozden), KIA
Casualties and losses
/ 5 killed:
Zaki Shingali (Ismail Ozden) and 4 others.[1]
Wounded :
- Tel Ezeir (Harbo), a member of the Self-Administrative Council.
- Mazlum Shingal (Haval Mazlum), the general commander of YBS in Shingal.

The 15 August 2018 Turkish strikes on Sinjar were precise target-killing strikes on Sinjar's Kurdish Sinjar Resistance Units (YBŞ)'s political leadership. The air-sol strikes aimed and killed Yazidi-Kurdish and YBŞ-PKK high ranking political leader Zaki Shingali (Ismail Ozden), by bombing his YBŞ vehicule,[2][1] and rescue vehicule.[3]

Background

The Sinjar Kurds-Yazidis inhabited area has been a flash point in recent years : Iraqi Peshmerga, ISIS, YBŞ-PKK, Iraqi Army and militias battling for control over the area. In August 2014, a dramatic offensive by ISIS upon Yazidis held towns and the surprise withdrawal of Peshmerga forces based there left the local communities severely out-powered by ISIS militants. Mass executions of men and enslavement of Yazidi women and children took place, now referred as the Sinjar massacres and Yazidis genocide by ISIL. As locals took refuge in the hard-to-reach Sinjar mountains, ISIS set siege of the mountain range. On 9–11 August, an joint offensive by Syrian-Kurds PKK-YPG and USAF broke Sinjar siege and secured an escape corridor from Sinjar mountains to Syria's autonomous Rojava area. Later, the December 2014 Sinjar offensive with PKK-affiliated and Peshmerga forces supported by USAF's air surveillance and military support took firmly control of the area. YPG took control of Yazidi area and kept both ISIS and Peshmerga forces at bay, continuing the building of local, PKK-inspired Sinjar Resistance Units (YBŞ). These YBŞ were lead by Sheikh Khairy Khedr (d. 2014) and Zaki Shingali (d. 2018), himself referring to Qandil's PKK leadership.

Situation after the December 2014 Sinjar offensive.

In July 2015, the Turkey-PKK Solution process, a ceasefire initiated in early 2013, broke.[4] Turkey resumed war with Turkey's PKK[4] and all alleged affiliated forces, in Turkey and abroad, thus including Syrian-Kurdish YPG and Syrian Democratic Forces, and Iraqi-Sinjar Kurdish-Yazidi Sinjar Resistance Units (YBŞ).

On 14 August, Turkey's President Erdogan claimed to have reach an understanding with Baghdad's leadership to allow his anti-PKK operations in Iraq.[4]

The strikes

The strikes occurred on 15 August.[4] Turkey's drones first wanted to bomb Singali's camp, but eventually targeted his convoy thanks to local intelligence and drone surveillances.[5] A video of the strike has since been published, showing the Turkish army's drone tracking and firing on 2 cars. When Shingali's car stopped by the road's side, a drone targeted and hit the car with its passenger and driver, sending debris around.[3] People rushed in, and are seen helping the wounded or dead. A second car picked wounded bodies, this rescue car is then targeted by Turkish drone and also blown with its passengers and driver.[3]

Reactions

  • Yazidis : Singali is considered a hero to many Yazidis, due to his 2014 leadership in breaking Mount Sinjar siege and leading its following emergency evacuation against ongoing ISIS, summary executions of men and enslavement of Yazidi women and children, since referred to as the 2014 Sinjar massacre.[2]
  • UN Nikki Haley commented : "Today Turkey carried several air strikes in different locations in Sinjar. Sinjar continues to be a war zone. How can Yazidis recover from this genocide or go back home".[6]
  • Iraq, Ahmed Mahjoob, spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry: "The Iraqi Foreign Ministry condemns the Turkish airstrikes on Sinjar within the civilian-populated areas".[7]
  • Turkey, Turkish army General staff : "Ismail Ozden, a member of the PKK executive committee and the terrorist group's senior figure in Sinjar… was eliminated during an operation conducted by the Turkish Armed Forces and intelligence on August 15."[4]

References

  1. 1 2 Turkey strikes YBŞ vehicles in Shingal, killing local PKK leader, Rudaw English
  2. 1 2 Turkish Airstrike in Iraqi Territory Kills a Kurdish Militant Leader, 16 August 2018
  3. 1 2 3 Terrorist PKK suffers heavy blow in Turkey, abroad, Anadolu Agency, 17 August 2018
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Turkish Forces 'Neutralize' Top PKK Member in Iraqi Sinjar – [Turkish Army] General Staff, Sputnik International, 16 August 2018
  5. ↑ PKK chief hit in drone-backed operation http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-neutralizes-most-wanted-pkk-suspect-in-northern-iraq-135849 August 16, 2018 Uğur Ergan
  6. ↑ Yazidi leader killed in air strike by Turkey four years after genocide https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Yazidi-leader-killed-in-air-strike-by-Turkey-four-years-after-genocide-565111 SETH J. FRANTZMAN 17 August 2018
  7. ↑ Iraq condemns Turkish airstrikes on Sinjar, Xinhua News Agency
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