Dr. Zmkan Ali Saleem*                                       Dr. Mac J. Skelton**
* Lecturer at College of Political Sciences – University of Sulaimani: [email protected]

** Researcher at American University of Iraq, Suleimani ( AUIS):  [email protected]

Keywords: Conflict, Islamic State, Iraq, Northren Diyala, Eastern Salahaddin.

https://doi.org/10.31271/jopss.10030

 Abstract

This article examines the emerging security, political, and economic dynamics in Iraq’s Internally Disputed Boundaries (DIBs) following the defeat of Islamic State (IS) and the withdrawal of the Kurdish security forces from those areas. The research focuses on two vital but unappreciated areas of the DIBs: Tuz Khurmatu and northern Diyala. As the vast majority of the media and policy attention is directed towards either Kirkuk, due to oil interests, or the Nineveh Plains, due to the presence of vulnerable ethnic minorities, the other centres of the DIBs receive insufficient consideration among scholars, policy makers and development practitioners. Some NGOs have gone so far as to make a policy of avoiding Tuz and northern Diyala altogether due to the difficulty of local conditions and the ever-present potential for violence. This is a grave error. The DIBs cannot be resolved without engaging these two regions, as they are strategically important for commercial and political reasons, and any final deal on the status of the DIBs between Baghdad and Erbil will have to include them.

پوختەى توێژینەوە:

ئاكتەر و ململانێ‌ و پێشبركێ لەسەر دەسەڵات لە ناوچە جێ ناكۆكەكانی عێراق لە دوای گرووپی دەوڵەتی ئیسلامی : كەیسی باكوری دیالە و رۆژهەڵاتی سەلاحەدین

ئەم توێژینەوەیە لە پەرەسەندنە سیاسی و ئابوری و ئەمنییەكانی ناوچە جێ ناكۆكەكان دەكۆڵێتەوە لە دوای جەنگی دژ بە گرووپی دەوڵەتی ئیسلامی و كشانەوەی هێزە ئەمنیە كوردییەكان لەو ناوچانە. ئامانجی توێژینەوەكە دوو پێگەی گرنگی ناوچە جێ ناكۆكەكانە كە بە شێوەیەكی بەرچاو لە لایەن توێژەران و چاودێرانەوە پشتگوێ خراون كە بریتین لە باكوری دیالە و رۆژهەڵاتی سەلاحەدین. ئەوەی جێگەی گرنگی توێژەران بووە تا ئێستا پارێزگای كەركوك بووە بەهۆی بوونی نەوت لەو پارێزگایە. بەڵام ئەمە هەڵوێستەیەكی دروست نییە و ئەم توێژیتەوەیە جەخت لە گرنگی سیاسی و ئابوری و ستراتیژی باكوری دیالە و رۆژهەڵاتی سەلاحەدین بۆ لایەنەكانی ململانێكە دەكاتەوە و ئەوە دەخاتە روو كە رێكەوتنی كۆتایی لەسەر ناوچە جێ ناكۆكەكان لە نێوان هەولێر و بەغدا دەبێت ئەم دوو پێكە گرنگە لەخۆ بگرێت.

ملخص البحث:

الجهات الفاعلة والصراع و المنافسة في المناطق المتنازع عليها فى العراق ما بعد الدولة الإسلامية: حالتي شمال ديالى وشرق صلاح الدين

يتناول هذ البحث الديناميات الأمنية والسياسية والاقتصادية الناشئة في المناطق العراقية المتنازع عليها  بعد هزيمة الدولة الإسلامية وانسحاب قوات الأمن الكردية من تلك المناطق. ويركز البحث على منطقتين حيويتين لم تتلقيا اهتمام الباحثين الا قليلا و هما شمال ديالى و شرق صلاح الدين، وفي الوقت ذاته الذي اعطت الغالبية العظمى من وسائل الإعلام والمحليلين اهتماما اكبير بمحافظة كركوك، وذالك بسبب امتلاكه للموارد النفطية،  فإن المناطق الأخرى لم تحظ بالقدر ذاته من الاهتمام . أما هذا البحث فيجزم بانه من الصعب حل مشكلة المناطق المتنازع عليها دون التركيز على شمال ديالى وشرق صلاح الدين اللتان تمثلان منطقتين استراتيجيتين  لأسباب سياسية و اقتصادية بالشكل الذي تم ايضاحه في هذا البحث. لذلك فان أي اتفاق نهائي حول وضع المناطق المتنازع عليها بين بغداد و اربيل يجب أن يشمل منطقتي شمال ديالى وشرق صلاح الدين.

List of interviews:

1. Abdul-Hussein Abbas (Known as Hakm Shaho), the ousted mayor of Mandali, Interview in Arabic, Khanaqin (26/06/2018).
2. Abdullah al-Jaburi: a Sunni Arab former MP from Diyala. Interviewed October 17, 2017.
3. Abu Kazim, Head of Assayb Ahl al-Haq’s (AAH) coordination office in Jalaula, a Shia
4. Arab from al-Muqtadia, interviewed at AAH’s office in Jalaula on October 13, 2018.
5. Abu Ziyad al-Qeisy : a Sunni Arab member of AAH in Jalaula, from Jalaula, Interviewed on October 13, at AHH’s office, Jalaula.
6. Adnan Ismael Khalil, Sa’adiya District Council Member, Sunni Arab, from Sa’adiya. Interviewed on October 13 ,2018,
7. Adnan Mansoor, Head of Khanaqin’s directorate of article 140 . Interviewed On September 02, 2018.
8. Ahmed Zargushi, The Mayor of Sadiya district, and the acting Mayor of Jalaula, from Sadiya. Interviewed on Octber 17, 2017.
9. Ala’a Ibrahim, social activist and works as a Nurse at Jalaula’s main Hospital, from
10. Jalaula, Sunni Arab, Interviewed on October 13, 2018.
11. Ali Ghazi, Head of Iraq’s Displacement and Migration Office in Khanaqin. Interviewed on October 16, 2018.
12. Ali Hassan Rashid, Tuz’s Police Chief, Shia Turkmen, interviewed on November 21, 2018
13. Arif Adil, director of Jabarah Sub-district. He was interviewed in his office in the town of Jabarah on September 27,2018.
14. Ayub Dawdi (Kurd), deputy mayor of Tuz-Khurmatu and head of IDPs department in Tuz-Mayor, in his office on September 19, 2018.
15. Badr leader (Abu Muntazar) – Khanaqin(09.06.2018).
16. Diyari Shawkat, Khanaqin’s police chief – the police force controlled by the Diyala governorate (23.08.2018).
17. Dr. Derbaz Muhammed, Iraq’s Minister of Migration and Displaced Peoples, Interview in Arabic, Suleimaniya [Regarding his role in the Tuz agreement] .
18. Dr. Hassan Zain Abdeen, newly appointed mayor of Tuz-Khurmatu. He is Turkman and member of Badr Organization.
19. Hassan Najm Abdulla (known as Mamosta Hassan), the head of the KRG’s education sector in Khanaqin. (28.09.2018).
20. Hussein Karawi, leader of head of Asayb Al-Ahl Haq in Qara Tapah and Jalawla.He was interviewed in his home in Qara Tapah on September 27,2018.
21. Ibrahim Abood Najim, an Arab member of Jalawla’s City Council, Interview in Arabic, Khanaqin, (26, 09, 2018).
22. Jalawla’s mayor Shex Yaqub, Interview in Arabic, Suleimaniya (25/06/2018).
23. Khalil Sayyid Agha Baba, member of Khanaqin City Council, interview in Arabic, Khanaqin, (26.09.2018).
24. Luqman Daudi, organizer of families who transferred their food-portion form to Tuz-Khurmatu and Tawuq: He was interviewed in his home in Tauwq on September 18, 2018.
25. Masud Dara-Khana, member of the PUK organizational branch in Khanaqin ( head of election chamber), member of the Supervisory Body of the September 25, 2017 referendum for independence in Khanaqin. Interviewed on October 17, 2018.
26. Muhammed Mulla Hassan, the mayor of Khanaqin(25.08.2018).
27. Mulla Hassan, Salahuddin District Council Member from Tuz, Kurdish, interviewed on November 16, 2018.
28. Mustafa Kamal Adham, a Turkmen member of Khanaqin’s City Council, Interview in Arabic, Khanaqin (26.09.2018).
29. Muthana al-Timimi, Diyala Governor, Member of Badr Organization, Interviewed on September 17, 2018.
30. Raeed Khalid Mandalawi, a member of Mandali’s town Council – now acting head of the Council, interviewed on September 06, 2018.
31. Rahim Aziz, head of Qara Tapah town council. Interview October 2, 2018 in the office of Kifri Mayor.
32. Sa’ad al-Tamimi, Hashd Brigade Commander/ former Badr Organization member ,
33. Shia Arab. Interviewed On September 18, 2018.
34. Said Ismail, organizer of families who transferred their food portion for disputed areas in Kifri: He was interviewed in Zinana on October 2, 2018.
35. Salah Ahmed Muhammed, a member of Jalawla’s Town Council, Interview in Arabic, Khanaqin (26.09.2018).
36. Salih Mahdi, Tuz district council member, Sunni Arab, interviewed on November 22, 2018.
37. Sardar Ahmed , Tuz district council member, Kurdish, interviewed on November 22, 2018.
38. Sayid Ali, Badr member, spokesperson for the PMUs in Tuz and the deputy head of Tuz’s district council – Shia Turkmen, interviewed on November 21, 2018.
39. Shalal Abdul, former mayor of Tuz. Interviewed on October 02, 2018.
40. Shekh Thair Albayati, Secretary of Arab Tribal Council in Tuz-Khurmatu; intervewed on October 2, 2018.
41. Tahir Ahmed (Mamosta Tahir), member of the PUK organizational branch – Tuz. Member of the Supervisory Body for the Kurdish referendum of independence of September 25, 2017 in Tuz. interviewed on November 18, 2018-12-16.
42. Zaid Abdullah , police officer, Khanaqin Police headquarter, Sunni Arab –,Interviewed October 16, 2018.
43. Zyiad Ezat , a Sunni Arab IDP who lives in Khanaqin camp, from Sadiya and used to be a farmer there. Interviewed on October 16, 2018.

References:
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45. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLDsuONfrZs&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR1ciU_SuKiyUNEaBD8xBE54d4Qw-Kl1CsLRAT0bLu_ZBbtpEcqV_psC6Zg
46. Al Jazeera, ‘Deaths during battles in Tuz-Khurmatu and Al-Abadi intervenes’, , 24 April 2016 [In Arabic]. Available at:
47. http://www.aljazeera.net/news%2Farabic%2F2016%2F4%2F24%2Fقتلى-بمعارك-طوزخورماتو-والعبادي-يتدخل
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51. Dodge ,Toby et al., ‘Iraq Synthesis Paper: Understanding the Drivers of Conflict in Iraq’, LSE Middle East Centre-Conflict Research Programme, 2018. Available at: http://www.lse.ac.uk/international-development/Assets/Documents/ccs-research-unit/Conflict-Research-Programme/crp-synthesis-paper/Iraq-synthesis-paper-understanding-the-drivers-2018.pdf
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56. Morris , Loveday, ‘How the Kurdish independence referendum backfired spectacularly’, The Washington Post, 20 October 2017. Available at:
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60. Steinberg , Guido, ‘The Badr Organization: Iran’s Most Important Instrument in Iraq’, German Institute for International and Security Affairs, 2017. Available at: https://www.swp berlin.org/fileadmin/contents/products/comments/2017C26_sbg.pdf
61. Van den Toorn , Christine, ‘High Noon in Iraq’s Wild West’, Foreign Policy, 22 February 2016. Available at: https://foreignpolicy.com/2016/02/22/high-noon-in-iraqs-wild-west/
62. Wolff , Stefan, ‘Governing (in) Kirkuk: resolving the status of a disputed territory in post-American Iraq’, International Affairs, 86.6 (2010): 1361-1379.
63. Youtube video, ‘A Turkmen MP threatens the Kurds and characterizes them as terrorists’, April 11, 2018. Available at:
64.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0JxIhDJfYo&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR33Od1eXF6fYd5uF2M9k9VKIA-clY5Ht0SXTL2o7CW0eFhMkv-6Ae81JwU
65. Youtube Video, ‘The Message of Mujahideen of Tuz Khurmatu to the heroes of the PMF’, published on May 4, 2016, available at:
66.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz74HtaIdfg&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR3I_iRG2cDk_V18py3aoEzHgYzDTwqU7GEO1NtH-SBZ4PPRsoncmghNyWw

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