NEWS CENTER - Maxmur Camp People's Council Co-chair Yusuf Kara said that KDP, together with MİT, fought with the Iraqi army on Qereçox Mountain to take control of the camp.

 

During the period when ISIS attacked and occupied many points in Syria and Iraq, one of its targets was the Maxmur Refugee Camp under the auspices of the United Nations (UN), located in the Federated Kurdistan Region, where approximately 12 thousand Kurdish refugees lived. In 2015, ISIS gangs, who took control of Qereçox Mountain next to the town of Maxmur in Mosul, tried to infiltrate the camp. Peshmerga and Iraqi soldiers tasked with protecting the area fled, leaving the camp defenseless.

 

Thereupon, HPG and YJA Star forces reached the region and ensured the security of the camp. After days of intense clashes, ISIS gangs were removed from the region and the security of the camp was ensured.

 

In the statement made on October 19, it was announced that the HPG and YJA Star forces, which had been providing the security of the camp for 8 years, decided to leave the region after completing their duties and missions.

 

Tension arose between the Iraqi central government and the Regional government to take control of the camp with the departure of HPG and YJA Star forces from the region. The rising tension between the peshmerga members of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Iraqi soldiers deployed to the region turned into a hot conflict on October 22. In the conflict that broke out between the forces positioned on Qereçox Mountain, one peshmerga lost his life and many soldiers from both sides were injured.

 

While the tension between the central government and the Regional government continues, Maxmur Refugee Camp People's Council Co-chair Yusuf Kara evaluated the clashes that started between Iraqi soldiers and peshmerga forces with the decision to withdraw HPG and YJA Star forces from the region.

 

'WHEN ISIS CAME, IT STANDED AGAINST PKK'

 

Stating that the imperialist powers, especially NATO, entered into contacts with various Islamic groups to gain momentum in the Middle East, Kara said: “ISIS started a psychological war as well as an armed war. It achieved its goal to a certain extent in Iraq and Syria. It took half of Iraq and Syria within a month. That's why other powers couldn't stand against them. Only the PKK could stand against them because PKK has a self-sacrificing spirit and self-strength. There is also a paradigm to which the PKK adheres. This paradigm gives power beyond comparison. When they came to the region, it was seen by everyone that they were the only force that could stand against ISIS and defeat it. PKK showed that ISIS members can be killed. This gave the people faith and motivation again. They have been the hope of the people of the entire Maxmur region on this mountain for 8 years."

 

WHEN PKK WITHDRAWN, KDP WANTED TO SETTLE  WITH MIT

 

Focusing on the clashes between the Iraqi army and peshmerga forces over the positions where HPG and YJA Star forces retreated, Kara said: "This region has three different importance for the Barzanis. First, the Barzani family's treachery towards us is at the highest level. Türkiye acts with the National Intelligence Organization (MİT). That's why it wants to take control of this mountain and control us together with MİT. Secondly, this area is also a key point for Hewler's defense. If this mountain falls into the hands of Iraqi forces, the KDP will have no control over the region from here to the Jîrka checkpoint. Thirdly, there are dozens of oil wells in this region. The KDP also wants to take control of oil fields. There is such a reality. For all these reasons, the KDP is fighting to take control of these regions.”

 

'IF KDP COMES, UNREST WILL BEGIN'

 

Stating that there is uncertainty about whether the two powers will reach an agreement, or if there is an agreement, what kind of agreement will be reached, Kara said: “KDP's settlement there will seriously endanger the security of the camp. Bad things will happen for the camp because KDP's practices in other regions are obvious. They will try to kidnap people and organize assassinations. They will only cause unrest here."