MANAMA (Sputnik) — The Turkmen People's Party in Iraq unveiled its plan to create a special regiment to fight against the Islamic State (ISIL) militants, a spokesman of the party said Friday.
"This regiment consisting of volunteers will be created to protect both Iraq and the Turkmen community," Arjan Katana said at a press conference.
The Iraqi Turkmens are the third largest ethnic minority in Iraq, after Arabs and Kurds. They reside predominantly in northern Iraq, in particular in Kirkuk province that has repeatedly been at the epicentre of fierce clashes between the ISIL militants and joint Iraqi forces.
The ISIL is a Sunni group that has been fighting in Syria and launched an offensive in Iraq in June 2014. The US-led international coalition against ISIL has been conducting airstrikes in Iraq and Syria since September 2014, assisting the Iraqi Army and Kurdish militia's fight on the ground.
