SINJAR, Iraq — Despite the swift expulsion of the Islamic State from Sinjar in an offensive by Kurdish and Yazidi forces on Nov. 13, assisted by unremitting airstrikes from the US-led coalition, competing interests and agendas present a major challenge to the future stability of the Yazidi-dominated region.
Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga forces were the major driving force of the multipronged offensive, given their large numbers and superior resources such as armored vehicles, tanks and rocket launchers, compared to other forces. As many as 7,500 peshmerga troops took part in the assault, according to the Kurdish Region Security Council on Nov. 11.