Rival Kurdish groups clash in Iraq's Sinjar region

Clashes broke out between rival Kurdish groups in northwestern Iraq after a force loyal to one party was deployed to an area controlled by another.

Friday's clashes took place in the Sinjar area near the Syrian border after forces loyal to Masoud Barzani's  Kurdistan's Regional Government (KRG) entered an area controlled by Sinjar Protections Units (YBS) - a Yazidi armed group alleged to be loyal to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

"This morning at seven clashes started with DShK (heavy machine gun). Now there are martyrs and wounded on both sides," a Kurdish security source told Reuters news agency.

Friday morning's clashes came after Barzani's official visit to Turkey.

YBS forces suggested that by deploying troops to the Sinjar area, the KRG was trying to force out the group affiliated with the PKK to please Ankara.
 [aljazeera.com]
3/3/17