Newspaper: White Flags members rejected allegiance to IS over ideological differences

Baghdad (Iraqinews.com) – The White Flags militant group has rejected to pledge allegiance to Islamic State (IS) over differences in ideologies and thoughts, a well-informed source said on Saturday.

The London-based daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi quoted the source as saying that “the White Flags militants rejected to swear allegiance or even work with Islamic State and chose to flee into Hamrin Mountains and other areas near Kirkuk areas, where they were trained on fighting.”

The source, however, admitted that the newly-emerged group “had no intention to engage in a fight with Iraqi security forces but the recent operations against their strongholds have caused the group to appear again in media” as a possible threat.

“The White Flags group, over the past period, was pursued by both Iraqi and U.S. Forces, in addition to Islamic State militants,” the source noted, adding that the group’s militants are estimated at hundreds and they receive much of their funds from well-to-do people.

The White Fags group, whose members always carry a white banner with a lion’s head in the middle, began appearing in Iraqi in late-2017, especially after the worsening situation between Baghdad and Erbil and the elimination of Islamic State in most of Iraq’s territory.

According to Al- Arabiya, members of the White Flags are estimated at hundreds, and the group’s main bases are in mountains and highlands.

Iraqi officials have always been condemning the group’s terrorist activities and blamed the Peshmerga for not taking proper action against it.