Active 2014–present Strength 7,500 – 10,500 | Leaders Haydar Shesho | |
Part of Sinjar Alliance (2015–17)
Peshmerga (since 2017) Allies Sinjar Resistance Units (YBŞ)
Êzidxan Women's Units (YJÊ) Opponents Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant | ||
The Protection Force of Êzîdxan or HPÊ (Ezdiki: Hêza Parastina Êzîdxanê, Arabic: قوة حماية ايزيدخان), also translated as Ezidkhan Defense Units, is a Yazidi militia founded by Haydar Shesho in the summer of 2014 in response to the genocide of Yazidis by ISIL. It is bigger than the other main Yazidi militia, the Sinjar Resistance Units. However, it is less active and armed than the Sinjar Resistance Units which has been fighting against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant since 2014.
The HPŞ claim it is the only indigenous, independent force in the district while their members receive salaries from the Iraqi government. Other Yazidi militias are affiliated with various Kurdish parties. "We fight only for Yazidis, not for any party", claimed Haydar.
Haydar Shesho was arrested on 5 April 2015 by the Kurdistan Regional Government for creating an illegitimate militia. He was released a week later.
In October 2015, the HPŞ participated in the foundation of the Sinjar Alliance as an all-Yazidi joint commando umbrella structure with rival Sinjar Resistance Units (YBŞ), its all-women offshoot, the Êzidxan Women's Units (YJÊ) and other, independent Yazidi units committed to the united Yazidi front.
Under the joint command of the newly founded Sinjar Alliance, the Protection Forces of Sinjar took part in the November 2015 Sinjar offensive.
In November 2015 the Hêza Parastina Şingal or HPŞ changes its name to Hêza Parastina Êzîdxanê or HPÊ (eng. Protection Force of Ezidkhan).
In March 2017, the Êzîdxan Protection Force announced that it will join the Peshmerga and take orders from the President of Iraqi Kurdistan, Masoud Barzani.