Arab and Yazidi leaders sign peace accord in Tal Afar

TAL AFAR – Arab and Yazidi leaders from Tal Afar, along with government officials, signed a ten-point document on Tuesday to resolve a conflict that began in 2015 between the Arab Al-Juhaish tribe and the Yazidi community.

The dispute between the two sides erupted when a Yazidi force killed 43 members of the Al-Juhaish tribe during the Islamic State’s rule over Nineveh governorate. The exact cause of the incident remains unclear.

The agreement yesterday was reached through mediation by the Prime Minister’s Office and the custodian institution of Imam Hsusein’s shrine, known as Ataba Al-Hussainiyah, in Karbala, following requests for intervention from both parties. In the agreement, the victims from both sides were officially recognized as “martyrs.”

Abdul-Jabbar Al-Zuhairi, representing the Department of Peaceful Coexistence at the Ataba Al-Hussainiyah, stated that the Al-Juhaish tribe and the Yazidi community sought the help of Sheikh Abdul Mahdi Al-Karbalai, the legal custodian of the Ataba Al-Hussainiyah, to mediate the dispute. A committee was formed to facilitate the peace process, which included multiple meetings and fact-finding missions.

As part of the mediation, the committee, in coordination with Haider Al-Saadi, Advisor for Dialogue and Reconciliation in the Prime Minister’s Office, recommended that the 43 victims be included in the Martyrs Foundation. This recommendation came after thorough security checks cleared the victims of any terrorist activities.

The Prime Minister approved the proposal, and a joint delegation visited the Al-Juhaish tribe at the residence of Sheikh Ahmed Hamoud Al-Taha Al-Juhaishi, where the victims’ families were present.

Sheikh Khalil Al-Alyawi, head of the Intellectual Activities Division in Mosul under the Ataba Al-Hussainiyah, emphasized that the peace agreement is a crucial step toward stability in the region, particularly in the Sinjar district and surrounding Arab areas. He noted that initiatives endorsed by the Shia religious Marja’iyha and implemented by the Ataba Al-Hussainiyah, under the guidance of Sheikh Al-Karbalai, could significantly impact regional stability and potentially facilitate the return of displaced persons after years of separation from their homes.