Battles between the Peshmerga and the IS caused a division among residents, as the history of animosity between the Sunni Arabs and Kurds has now resurfaced.
The Peshmerga forces claim to have confiscated arms from Arab residents accused of supporting the IS or at least sympathizing with them.
The Islamic state group and other Sunni factions are pushing into Gwer to take land they believe is righteously theirs. A border now separates the two communities.
Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr reports from Gwer.
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