(MENAFN) Iraq's Sinjar is going to suffer the fate of Syria's Afrin as the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has not withdrawn yet from the city and Turkey continuously threatens to attack it, an official said.
"The PKK is still in the city. It has only announced in the media that it will leave the area, therefore the city is at a great risk of a Turkish attack," Mayor of Sinjar Mahma Khalil told BasNews as quoted.
"Meanwhile, the Iraqi government has given the responsibility of the region to the Hashd al-Shaabi which has only worsened the situation," he added.
He noted that the central government tends to deploy more militiamen of Hash al-Shaabi to the area, he said, adding "We want to bear the responsibility of the city by ourselves."
He also said that the people of Sinjar want the Peahmerga forces to protect the region and not any other forces.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last week threatened to follow the PKK wherever they are, pointing out to Sinjar.
The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States. More than 40,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the three-decade long conflict.
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