The Supreme Commander of Shingal´s Protection Force (HPS) Haydar Shesho has been arrested and taken away by Kurdish security forces in northern Iraq a few hours ago. At about 21 o’clock local time security forces close to the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) stormed his home in Khanke and arrested him together with other resistance fighters as well as his bodyguards. Shesho holds German citzenship.

More information are currently not available, the arrested persons´ whereabout is also unknown.

Shesho commands over 3,000 Ezidi resistance fighters in Shingal who have been treated with hostility because of their independence from the Kurdistan Democratic Party. It is assumed that the arrest correlates with an interview that Shesho gave KurdSat a few days ago. Shesho criticized the Kurdish government´s approach to dealing with Ezidis and accused it of being responsible for the Shingal crisis. EzidiPress coresspondents confirmed his arrest.

Dozens of Ezidi demonstrators and activists have been arrested in recent days, some even received death threats and fled the country.

ezidiPress