White Flags
Kurdish: ئاڵا سپییەکان
Leaders
Dates of operation2017—present
HeadquartersTuz Khurmatu
Active regionsNorthern Iraq
Part of Ansar al-Islam (Iraqi gov. claim)[4]
Allies Islamic State
Opponents Iraq[6] CJTF-OIR[8]
Battles and warsWar on Terror
Designated as a terrorist group by Iraq[9]

The White Flags, (Kurdish: ئاڵا سپییەکان) also known as Sufyaniyyun,[10][11] are a militant Kurdish Islamonationalist group which are an offshoot of Ansar al-Islam. They are based in the disputed territories of northern Iraq opposed to the Iraqi government.[12] Their appearance was first noted during the Battle of Kirkuk in October 2017, when the Jambur oil facility was secured by Iraqi forces in October 2017 as the federal government regained control of disputed territories which were taken by the Kurdish Regional Government.[13][14]

Ideology

Iraqi civil and military officials as well as regional experts, claim that the White Flags are a Kurdish nationalist or separatist faction which was founded in response to the Iraqi takeover of Kirkuk, with its members referring to themselves as "the Kurdish resistance".[15]U.S. defense and military officials also said that it "appears to be a union of Kurdish terrorists and former ISIS fighters", or a union of Kurdish ISIS and Ansar al-Islam remnants.[15] Iraqi intelligence and Bill Roggio said that the group could possibly be a re-branding attempt by a faction of Ansar al-Islam, or even a Kurdish movement to oppose the Iraqi government. The Iraqi government said that the White Flags are a Front organization of Ansar al-Islam.[4][16]

All those claims was supported by the fact that the White Flags leader and founder, Assi al-Qawali, was a staunch KDP supporter and an Islamist. He also had close ties to Mullah Krekar and various ISIS members. The variant flag of the White Flags has "Ansar al-Islam movement" written on top of it.[17]

Organisation and tactics

The White Flags are considered to be a terrorist organization by Iraqi officials. In late 2017, an Iraqi-Turkmen MP accused Kurdish leaders of supporting the group. This was denied by the Kurdistan Regional Government.[18] The group's leader Hiwa Chor, a one-eyed militant in his early forties,[19] was a former member of al-Qaeda in Iraq but disagreed with ISIL's ambitious Caliphate plans so he left the organization.[8] The group uses various guerilla tactics such as ambushes and utilizes IEDs. It also uses mortars and rockets. The group operates in and around Tuz Khurmatu and has launched frequent attacks on oil fields and routes in the area.[6] The White Flags usually target Turkmens and Shias.[20]

See also

References

  1. ^ Ebraheem, Mohammed (2017). "Iraq vows to eliminate White Flags group very soon". iraqinews.com. Archived from the original on 2018-02-23. Retrieved 2019-11-30.
  2. ^ "بالصور... هنا يختبى السفيانيون في العراق!!".
  3. ^ "White Flags - intelNews.org". Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  4. ^ a b c Suadad al-Salhy (14 December 2017). "Kurdish militant group re-emerges in northern Iraq under new name". Arab News. Archived from the original on 14 December 2017. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  5. ^ "Iraq to launch security operation against White Banners group, but who are they?". english.alarabiya.net. 4 February 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-02-04. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  6. ^ a b c Tom Westcott (31 January 2018). "No surrender: 'White Flags' group rises as new threat in northern Iraq". Middle East Eye. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  7. ^ Wladimir van Wilgenburg (9 February 2018). "Coordination between Kurdish and Iraqi forces for anti-Jihadist operations in Tuz Khurmato". The Region. Archived from the original on 11 February 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  8. ^ a b Purpose, Task &. "A 'post-ISIS insurgency' is gaining steam in Iraq". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 25 April 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  9. ^ ""الرايات البيضاء" تخلف "السوداء": بغداد تتحدى "الإرهاب" مجدّداً". الأخبار. Archived from the original on 10 August 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  10. ^ "من هم السفيانيون؟". مركز بيت العراق للدراسات الإستراتيجية (in Arabic). 2017-12-02. Retrieved 2022-09-05.
  11. ^ تقي, يقول حسين (2 December 2017). "من هم السفيانيون و جماعات الرايات البيضاء التي بدأت تظهر في مناطق كركوك؟ – صوت كوردستان" (in Arabic). Retrieved 2022-09-05.
  12. ^ "White Banners Movement Ignites War of Words Among Iraqi Factions". Asharq AL-awsat. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
  13. ^ "No surrender: 'White Flags' group rises as new threat in northern Iraq". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
  14. ^ "After ISIS black flags, Iraq faces 'White Banners' threat | Mamoon Alabbasi". AW. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
  15. ^ a b Al-awsat, Asharq. "Middle-east Arab News Opinion". aawsat.com. Archived from the original on 23 October 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  16. ^ "Iraqi security forces repel White Flags terrorists in Tuz Khurmatu". The Baghdad Post. 25 January 2018. Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  17. ^ Akgungor, Ilker (December 17, 2017). "Barzani'nin 'Beyaz bayraklısı' yakalandı!". Medium.
  18. ^ "After ISIS black flags, Iraq faces 'White Banners' threat - The Arab Weekly". Archived from the original on 2018-02-09. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  19. ^ Mackay, Neil (8 April 2018). "ISIS 2.0". Sunday Herald. ProQuest 2022776961.
  20. ^ "الرايات البيضاء تشعل التوتر بين البيشمركة والحشد الشيعي". أورينت نت.
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