The Ninewa Plains is home to a diverse mixture of social, national, religious and sectarian communities, including Christians, Yazidis, Kurds, Arabs, Shabaks, Kaka’i Kurds, Sunnis and Shiites.
This diversity has been a factor in conflicting interests political and armed groups in the region. Because of its location, resources, and diversity, the region is also exposed to power struggles between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government, as well as interventions by external actors.