Yazidi UPDATES genocide has occurred and is ongoing

[Anthea]

Sinjar to Follow Halabja in
Push for Governorate Status

Iraqi lawmaker Mahma Khalil said on Sunday that following the official recognition of Halabja as a province, efforts will now shift to promoting Sinjar’s elevation to governorate status in the Iraqi parliament

“After the governorship of Halabja, every effort will be made to start the procedures for the governorship of Sinjar in the Iraqi parliament,” the lawmaker told BasNews.

Khalil, who previously served as governor of Sinjar, confirmed that a formal project to designate Sinjar as a province is underway and has gained traction within the legislature. He said Sinjar is ready for this administrative upgrade and emphasized the need for political and legal support from Baghdad.

The people of Sinjar have repeatedly demanded provincial status and have expressed a desire to be part of the Kurdistan Region. In the 2017 Kurdistan independence referendum, more than 90% of voters in Sinjar supported secession from Iraq

The remarks come just days after the Iraqi parliament officially approved Halabja as a province, marking a historic milestone for the Kurdish region. The decision passed during a special session of the Iraqi Council of Representatives, with strong backing from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and other Kurdish factions.

“After much anticipation and direct efforts by our leader President Barzani, along with persistent requests from our party and support from other Kurdish factions, we are delighted that the draft law for recognizing Halabja as a governorate has been approved,” said Meriwan Qarani, Deputy Head of the KDP faction

Halabja’s new status is widely seen as a recognition of its historical suffering, particularly the 1988 chemical attack by Saddam Hussein’s regime that claimed thousands of lives and became a global symbol of Kurdish resilience.

Sinjar, too, has endured tragedy—most notably the 2014 ISIS genocide against the Yezidis—and many believe provincial status would provide greater administrative autonomy and resources for recovery and development.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/882644

[Anthea]

Lalish Center on 32nd anniversary

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Monday extended heartfelt congratulations to the Yazidi community on the 32nd anniversary of the establishment of the Lalish Cultural and Social Center, lauding the institution’s enduring contributions to Kurdish cultural preservation, Yazidi heritage, and social harmony in the Kurdistan Region

In a message addressed to the Lalish Center's leadership and members, PM Barzani praised the center as a vital guardian of authentic Kurdish culture and a vibrant symbol of the Yazidi people's resilience and traditions.

"I congratulate the 32nd anniversary of the establishment of the Lalish Cultural and Social Center to the chairman and members of the high committee and all Yazidi brothers and sisters, and I wish you progress and continuity," the Prime Minister wrote in his message.

"The Lalish Center has provided a notable service to authentic Kurdish culture and art and the traditions of the Yazidi community, and has played an important role in strengthening brotherhood and coexistence among the components of Kurdistan," he added

Established in 1993 at the heart of Yazidism’s spiritual homeland near the sacred Lalish temple in Shekhan, the Lalish Center has become one of the most prominent institutions safeguarding Yazidi religious practices, rituals, and cultural life.

It also serves as a key hub for academic, artistic, and social engagement, attracting visitors, researchers, and spiritual pilgrims from across the region and the diaspora.

PM Barzani’s message is the latest in a series of official affirmations of support for the Yazidi community, which has endured profound hardship in recent decades, including displacement and genocide at the hands of ISIS in 2014.

In the years since, the Kurdistan Regional Government has made Yazidi recovery and cultural preservation a cornerstone of its post-conflict rebuilding efforts.

The Prime Minister’s recognition of the Lalish Center underscores its dual role as both a sanctuary for Yazidi identity and a pillar of broader Kurdish multiculturalism.

The center's activities—ranging from cultural festivals and educational seminars to interfaith dialogue and the documentation of Yazidi oral history—have consistently promoted unity among Kurdistan’s diverse ethnic and religious communities

In closing his message, PM Barzani reiterated his hope for the continued success of the Lalish Center, affirming its position not just as a Yazidi institution but as an essential component of Kurdistan’s collective cultural fabric: "Congratulations on the establishment of the Lalish Center and may you always be successful."

As celebrations mark the 32nd anniversary of the center’s founding, the Lalish Center stands not only as a monument to Yazidi resilience, but also as a living embodiment of Kurdistan’s enduring commitment to coexistence, memory, and cultural dignity.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/83 ... munal-role

[Anthea]

Iraq pushes to locate Yazidi women

taken to Syria by ISIS

Shafaq News/ Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said Tuesday that most Yazidi women abducted by ISIS in 2014 were taken to Syria, as Baghdad and Erbil step up efforts to locate and free those still missing

Speaking after a regional expert meeting on missing persons in Baghdad, Hussein noted that both federal and Kurdish authorities are sharing intelligence, particularly in light of recent developments in Syria that could aid the search.

The meeting, attended by officials from the Kurdistan Region, focused on the legal and humanitarian challenges surrounding Iraq’s missing persons file, one of the most pressing legacies of ISIS’s campaign of violence.

Zidan Khalaf, the Iraqi Prime Minister’s advisor on human rights, said the government considers the issue a top priority. “We are addressing one of the most painful humanitarian crises in Iraq,” he said.

Khalaf highlighted ongoing work with national security, intelligence services, and the Yazidi Survivors Directorate to locate survivors and reunite them with their families. He added that financial rewards have been offered for credible information and that efforts continue to enforce the Yazidi Survivors Law to support victims and their families.

https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Iraq-pushes- ... ia-by-ISIS

[Anthea]

I Lived Through Hell

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) — A Yazidi girl recently rescued from ISIS captivity has shared her harrowing testimony with Kurdistan24, shedding light on the years of torment, sexual violence, and separation she endured over more than a decade of abduction

Dima Amin, originally from the village of Kocho in Sinjar, was abducted by ISIS in 2014 along with eight members of her family. Her emotional statement comes amid continued efforts to rescue the remaining Yazidis still held or missing in the aftermath of ISIS’s genocidal campaign.

“I am truly delighted and relieved to have been rescued,” Dima told Kurdistan24. “I want to thank my uncle, Abdullah, and everyone who helped make this possible. I hope the rest of my family can also be rescued.”

Describing her years in captivity, Dima said:

“There were countless moments of torture and anguish. Honestly, I lived through hell—it was unbearable. I was sexually assaulted. We had no life; it was horrifying. I wouldn’t wish such a life on anyone. It was a heavy burden, especially not being able to see my family or loved ones. They tormented us constantly. I was completely separated from my family and repeatedly violated. I even thought about ending my life many times.”

When asked about her abduction and the years that followed, Dima recounted being forcibly taken to Syria after ISIS captured Sinjar:

“When Daesh (ISIS) entered Iraq and took control of our areas, they moved us to Syria. They didn’t remain in Iraq for long—maybe a month. After that, I was separated from my family. An ISIS member took me by force to Syria and kept me in his house. He and others abused me—physically, emotionally, and sexually. They beat and insulted me constantly.”

Dima said she remained in Syria for three years before crossing into Turkey illegally, where she lived for seven more years. Yet, even in Turkey, the suffering did not end:

“The torment didn’t end after I left Syria. I lost most of my family. My extended family also disappeared. I know nothing about their whereabouts.”

Her journey back to Iraq was fraught with more obstacles.

“Later, I was detained in Turkey. I pleaded to be sent back to Iraq, but they refused because I had no passport or documents proving my Iraqi citizenship. I was held in Adana and released just four days before Eid al-Adha. Shockingly, the same ISIS fighter who had taken me to Syria was also detained in Turkey—and released at the same time as me. The suffering continued. Even in Turkey, I endured many unbearable moments,” she explained.

Her greatest wish now is to reunite with her remaining family members.

“My eldest brother, my father, and my younger brother are still missing. I know my mother is in Australia. I only hope to see her again someday—and to be reunited with my family,” she said.

Dima’s story is one of thousands that continue to emerge from the Yazidi community. According to official statistics, 3,587 Yazidi Kurds have so far been rescued from ISIS captivity and reunited with their families. Yet, hundreds remain unaccounted for, and efforts to locate and recover them are ongoing.

The rescue of Dima Amin is a testament to the continued struggle of Yazidi survivors and their families in the aftermath of genocide, as well as the pressing need for international and regional efforts to ensure justice, healing, and reunification.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/84 ... -captivity

The horror experienced by Dima Amin, the slaughter and kidnapping of so many in Kocho, could have all been avoided, as the attacks on Kocho took place more than a week after the initial attack on Sinjar

[Anthea]

Yazidi woman freed after 11 years
in ISIS captivity - Shafaq News

A Yazidi woman abducted by ISIS in 2014 has been freed after 11 years, activist Abdullah Shrem confirmed on Friday, noting that she was recently held in a prison in Turkiye before her release

Dima Amin, 24, from the village of Kocho south of Sinjar, was abducted along with her family during ISIS’s attack on the area. Although her mother, sister, and two brothers were freed in earlier operations, her father and two other brothers remain missing, with search efforts still underway.

Shrem, who has led rescue efforts since 2014, told Shafaq News that Dima had spent over a year in detention in Turkiye. Her release came nearly a month ago, following a coordinated operation that ensured her safe transfer through the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing into Duhok in the Kurdistan Region.

He expressed gratitude to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for facilitating the operation and supporting the rescued woman.

https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/Yazidi- ... -captivity