Negotiating Peace in Iraq’s Disputed Territories: Modifying the Sinjar Agreement
Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi meets with representatives of the Iraqi federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government on Oct. 9 2020 to discuss the Sinjar agreement. Photo credit: @IraqiPMO/Twitter
Editor’s Note: Iraq faces many knotty political problems, and one of the most difficult concerns the population in the area near the border with Turkey and Syria. There, the legacy of Iraq’s civil war and broader regional strife interacts with Iraq’s political dysfunction, creating a potent stew of grievances and potential violence. Boston University’s Shamiran Mako assesses the Baghdad-Erbil Sinjar agreement, explaining how discontent among local communities may jeopardize this fragile settlement and stability in general.