Peshmerga Affairs Committee’s statement on PKK’s attack on Peshmerga forces

In an attack against Kurdistan’s Peshmerga forces perpetrated by the PKK, the Peshmerga Hersh Jawhr Muhammad was killed and several Peshmerga were injured in Chamanke subdistrict of Amedi district on 4 November 2020. The Peshmerga Affairs Committee of the Kurdistan Parliament condemns this criminal act and intra-Kurdish aggression, and we call on all Kurdish forces to avoid conflict.

Disagreement must be resolved through talks. War is destructive and no one is the winner in the use of armed attacks and violence in the Kurdistan Region against Peshmerga forces, which are the official constitutional military forces that have helped to bring about and protect Kurdistan Region’s freedom and constitutional status, and are part of Federal Iraq’s defence system. The PKK’s aggression violates international law and the sovereignty of Iraq and Kurdistan Region. This is an unjust and illegal intervention in Kurdistan Region’s internal affairs.

Intra-Kurdish conflict leads only to destruction, disaster, a weaker Kurdistan Liberation Movement and the loss of young Kurdish lives. Everyone's efforts must be focused on preventing war, and disagreements must be resolved through dialogue. The basic duty of all the political parties in other parts of Kurdistan, if they cannot help the people of Kurdistan Region or the Kurdistan Regional Government to solve the current multiple crises that we face, is not to create problems for them.

We the Peshmerga Affairs Committee of Kurdistan Parliament remind everyone that the achievements we have made through our nation's historic struggle, revolutions, uprisings and the ultimate sacrifices of so many, are unfortunately under threat from the disagreements and disunity between the political forces of Kurdistan.

We call on all political parties and individuals to avoid such incidents, to unite their views and efforts around the prevention of war and maintaining peace, to strengthen stability and security, and to devote their energies and abilities to confronting this crisis, rather than squandering it on fratricidal conflict. We bow our heads to the fallen Peshmerga of this armed attack and hope for the speedy recovery of those injured.

Peshmerga Affairs Committee

Kurdistan Parliament

5 November 2020