A farmer inspects prickly pear cactus plants in Sinuni, north of Mount Sinjar. Photo by 964media
KRG renews call for full implementation of Sinjar Agreement, five years after signing
ERBIL — The Kurdistan Regional Government on Thursday urged the full implementation of the 2020 Sinjar Agreement, five years after it was signed, saying none of its administrative or security provisions have yet been carried out.
In a statement, the KRG Ministry of Interior said the agreement was intended to restore stability in Sinjar, rebuild trust, and enable the safe and dignified return of displaced residents. It said implementing the deal remains a key part of the current government’s program and commitments.
The ministry said both the federal and regional governments have worked to put the agreement into effect, but progress has been blocked by “external forces and individuals outside the official institutions who consider themselves above the law and state authority.” The statement said their interference has prolonged the suffering of displaced families and driven many to lose hope and migrate abroad.
PKK-affiliated forces in Sinjar, particularly the Sinjar Protection Units, have rejected the full implementation of the 2020 agreement and refused to disarm.
The KRG reaffirmed its readiness to meet its obligations and help create conditions for the return of Yazidis and other residents. The ministry said it remains deeply concerned about the hardships facing displaced families and condemned those who obstruct the restoration of order in the district.
The Sinjar Agreement was signed on Oct. 9, 2020, by Hamid Rashid Faleh for the federal government and Rebar Ahmed for the KRG, with support from the United Nations. It outlined a framework for administrative and security arrangements to reestablish local governance and stability.
Under the deal, a new nonpartisan district mayor was to be appointed, followed by a joint committee to review other administrative positions. Security responsibility was to be transferred to local police and national security forces, while all other armed groups, including the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, were required to withdraw from Sinjar and surrounding areas.