Sinjar Security Shift: Iraq Absorbs Yazidi Fighters into State Forces

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi announced on Monday that the Sinjar Resistance Units (YBS) have been officially integrated into the state security apparatus. The move concludes a period of local autonomy for the Yazidi-led armed group in Sinjar governorate. An estimated 2,500 YBS local fighters will now join the Iraqi security forces, marking a structural change in how the district is policed.

The YBS were formed in the 2000s to protect the Yazidi religious minority from sectarian attacks. The group gained prominence in August 2014 when it mobilized against the Islamic State group (IS), which carried out a genocide in Sinjar, killing at least 5,000 people and abducting thousands of women and girls. Following a state ceremony this week, the integration process began with the handover of specific positions on Mount Sinjar to the Iraqi Army.

Murad Ismael, an Iraqi MP who leads the Yazidi Cause Alliance, stated that the implementation started immediately with the transfer of positions to the army. He noted that the fighters will be distributed across multiple branches of the security forces rather than a single unit. Ismael confirmed that lists of names were handed over to the state on Monday to facilitate these administrative steps.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has voiced concerns about the timing and method of the integration. KRG Interior Minister Reber Ahmed argued on Tuesday that Baghdad should have first implemented the UN-backed 2020 Sinjar agreement, which aimed to remove non-state actors from the area. Ahmed stated that steps taken without coordination with the KRG would not restore stability or allow displaced Yazidis to return home.

In response, Sabah al-Numan, spokesperson for the Iraqi prime minister, affirmed that the measures fall under Baghdad's authority. He explained that the reorganization aims to reinforce the rule of law and place weapons strictly under official federal and military institutions. The Iraqi government views the integration as a step toward regulating security in the district.

Ankara has expressed support for the move, viewing it as a way to normalize the situation in northern Iraq. Mehmet Alaca, a senior adviser at Babil Research, said Turkey supports the integration of armed groups into state institutions. He noted that Turkey's primary concern has been the presence of PKK cadres from outside the region, and that the current situation may mirror the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces in Syria.

The integration addresses the security framework but leaves administrative and social challenges unresolved. The district has lacked a mayor since the 2023 provincial elections due to political disputes, though the Nineveh Provincial Council has recently opened a nomination window for the post. Former MP and Sinjar district mayor Mahma Khalil called for the creation of a distinct administrative region for Sinjar to ensure local representation.

Approximately 89,709 people, mostly Yazidis, remain displaced in camps in the Kurdistan Region, according to an August report by the International Organization for Migration and the UN Refugee Agency. They have not returned due to security concerns, weak governance, and a lack of compensation. Yazidi activist Mirza Dinnayi described the path forward as a grey zone, dependent on the political will of local and regional partners to manage reconstruction and return plans.