The United Nations is all for the complete implementation of the Sinjar Agreement, which envisages the removal of the PKK terrorist organization from the Iraqi city, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday during a visit to Baghdad.
"We support this matter," Guterres said, referring to the agreement signed under the auspices of the U.N. between the central government in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on Oct. 9, 2020, that never took effect, allowing the PKK to roam free in the territory to this day.
Sinjar is wedged between Türkiye to the north and Syria to the west, making it a highly strategic zone long coveted by both Baghdad and the KRG. Despite being administered by the Iraqi city of Mosul, it is considered a disputed enclave with the KRG.
It fell under the control of the PKK and pro-Iran Iraqi militias following Daesh’s invasion in 2014 where the terrorists managed to establish a foothold under the pretext of protecting the local Yazidi community from Daesh and have been trying to turn the district into a "second Qandil."
The Yazidi is a Kurmanji-speaking endogamous minority group indigenous to Western Asia, with most of the 500,000-strong population living in Mosul and Duhok. While the region was under the control of Daesh, the community was subjected to genocidal attacks, causing some 45,000 to flee Sinjar.
The Sinjar deal was also designed to facilitate the return of these displaced Yazidis, who still await the opportunity to reunite with their homeland.
According to the KRG, the agreement cannot be implemented due to the PKK, which has long been against the government in Irbil and "creating chaos" in the region.
Lamenting "the great harm" the Yazidis living in Sinjar have endured, Guterres on Wednesday said, "We stand in solidarity with them."
The U.N. chief was speaking to reporters following a series of meetings with Iraqi officials in the capital, which he said were "productive."
"We’re also grateful for Iraq’s solidarity with Türkiye and Syria over the earthquakes," Guterres noted, expressing grief for the two countries as they grapple with the aftermath of two massive earthquakes that claimed over 51,000 lives combined in Türkiye’s southeast and Syria’s northwest since Feb. 6.
"We appreciate Iraq’s efforts for regional stability and security, as well," Guterres added, reiterating U.N. support for the Baghdad government’s steps to tackle corruption, provide public services, ensure human rights and resolve unemployment.
The U.N. body supports provincial elections in Iraq and the KRG-controlled regions in the north, Guterres further noted.
"We are prepared to supply the necessary technical assistance in said elections. Although the Daesh terrorist organization ended in Iraq, the war on terror is still a priority for the government," the secretary-general explained.
Arguing that meetings must be held to resolve the problems between Baghdad and the KRG administrations, Guterres said, "This wouldn’t give the U.N. or any other party the right to impose their opinions. The time has come for the people of Iraq to settle their issues and determine the future of their country."
The Yazidi community leaders have also been calling on the Iraqi government, the KRG and the international community to implement the Sinjar deal.
Türkiye, another strong backer of the deal that would contribute to regional stability, expressed in the past hope that the agreement would be carried out in a way that enables the reinstatement of Iraqi authorities’ control in Sinjar and the eradication of terrorist organizations, including Daesh, PKK and their extensions.
Northern Iraq bordering Türkiye is known to contain many PKK hideouts and bases from where they launch attacks on Turkish soil. In response, the Turkish military regularly conducts cross-border operations, stressing often that it will not tolerate threats posed against national security and calling on Iraqi officials to take the necessary steps to eliminate the terrorist group.