United States Consul General Robert Palladino urged PKK terrorists and the Iran-backed paramilitary group Hashd al-Shaabi, also known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), to withdraw from the Sinjar area.

In a news conference, Palladino confirmed that the PKK and the PMF have been cooperating, as he said the Iran-backed militias have not been abiding by the instructions of the Iraqi central government.

"The PKK, which cooperates with the PMF, makes the situation more volatile and unstable," the diplomat said.

Palladino continued by calling on both groups to completely withdraw from the area for the implementation of the Sinjar agreement.

The PKK terrorist group managed to establish a foothold in Sinjar in mid-2014 under the pretext of protecting the local Yazidi community from Daesh. Since then, the PKK has reportedly established a new base in Sinjar for its logistical and command-and-control activities. Around 450,000 Yazidis escaped Sinjar after Daesh took control of the region in mid-2014.