ERBIL — Erbil Provincial Council (EPC) voted on Monday to prohibit the enrollment of anyone residing within the borders of Erbil in the Shi'ite Popular Mobilization Forces or Hashd al-Sha'abi, according to an EPC member.

Kanaan Khaylani, who heads the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) faction in the council, told BasNews on Monday that those who do not obey the rule will face punishment. 

He added that so far no one from Erbil has joined Hashd forces.

Khaylani said it's not allowed for anyone to join any paramilitary force as Kurdistan Region's Peshmerga forces are the official forces in the region.  

According to earlier reports, many youth from Halabja and Garmiyan areas, under the pressure of the economic crisis, joined the Shi'ite forces who are said to provide regular monthly payments to its recruits.

Provocative remarks by some Hashd leaders against Kurds, and the mainly sectarian nature of the forces, have put the Kurdish authorities on the guard.