Masoud Barzani met with 300 Êzidî peshmergas and mukhtars in the Sıhêle military base in Duhok yesterday, and pressured them to fight against the PKK.

A peshmerga, who wishes to remain anonymous due to security concerns, that participated in the meeting spoke to ANF and said that Barzani pressured peshmergas and mukhtars to fight against the PKK but was met with a harsh reaction.

‘FIGHT AGAINST THE PKK IF NEEDED’

In the meeting, Masoud Barzani stated that the PKK’s existence in Shengal should be ended and asked Êzidî peshmergas and people to take a stance against the PKK openly. Accordingly, Barzani said that the existence of two authorities in Shengal should be ended, and the Êzidî peshmergas and people should take an open stance against the PKK and kick it out of Shengal. Barzani also said that they would fight the PKK if it refuses to leave the city.

'WE WILL NOT FIGHT THE PKK, WHO PROTECTED US AGAINST ISIS'

The peshmerga that spoke to ANF said that several people objected to Barzani’s pressure to fight against the PKK, saying that the PKK prevented ISIS from massacring Êzidîs and has received a lot of love and devotion from the Êzidîs, who would not fight the PKK under any circumstances.

Reportedly, Barzani could not convince the Êzidîs, who warned Barzani that fighting against the PKK would harm the national union of Kurdish people.

'NATIONAL UNITY WOULD BE HARMED'

Lastly, the peshmerga that participated in the meeting praised the PKK for contributing to the national union of Kurdish people through its struggle and sacrifice, and emphasized that Êzidî peshmergas would never join a war that would target the PKK and harm the national unity of Kurdish people.