Yazidi UPDATES genocide has occurred and is ongoing

[Anthea]

Turkish drone injured 3 in Shingal

A suspected Turkish drone strike on the Yazidi heartland of Shingal (Sinjar) on Monday injured 3 people, local media affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) reported

A drone “struck a vehicle in the town of Shingal and 3 journalists were injured,

“The two men were taken to a hospital in Mosul for treatment and the woman was slightly injured,” it added.

Neither Ankara nor the PKK have commented on the attack.

Turkey frequently bombards Shingal, claiming to target fighters and positions of the all-Yazidi Shingal Resistance Units (YBS), considered by Ankara to be an offshoot of the PKK.

The PKK is a Kurdish group that has waged an armed insurgency against the Turkish state for decades in the struggle for greater Kurdish rights. It is designated a terrorist organization by Ankara.

The YBS and Ezidkhan Asayish were formed by the PKK after the Islamic State (ISIS) seized control of Shingal, killing and kidnapping thousands of Yazidis in the process. They control parts of Shingal.

The strike also comes amid a fresh Turkish military operation in the Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province against alleged PKK positions. In March, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that Ankara is close to completing a safe zone that will “permanently” resolve security issues along its border with the Kurdistan Region.

Turkey has carried out more than 1,076 attacks on the Kurdistan Region and Nineveh province so far in 2024, according to data from Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT), a US-based human rights organization and conflict monitor tracking Ankara’s operations in the Kurdistan Region.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/08072024

[Anthea]

Iraq camp closures

A migration office in Duhok was overcrowded on Monday with internally displaced persons (IDPs) waiting to complete necessary paperwork ahead of the government's deadline at the end of July for camp closures

“I swear to god this is the third time I come here. I have only had my fingerprint taken. My turn will not come for another 20 days. This office is being unfair to us. I am from Persev camp, and I have been here since yesterday,” Daxil Aasim, an IDP from Shingal, told Rudaw near Dohuk’s migration office.

IDPs packed the streets around Iraq’s Ministry of Displacement and Migration office in Duhok, struggling to communicate with officials. The IDP were there to finish the paperwork required to return to the Yazidi homelands in Shingal (Sinjar).

Many expressed frustration, stating they have visited the office multiple times without being served.

“We did not have breakfast and came here. My daughter said, ‘Mom, wake up’. I asked, ‘What is it?’ She said, ‘Get up, let’s go.’ I said, ‘I can’t’. By the Peacock Angel, it was difficult for me to come,” 85-year-old Wasne Ibrahim told Rudaw while resting under the shade of a tree.

The ministry reported on Thursday that nearly 26,000 IDP families remain in camps across the Kurdistan Region. The majority of the IDPs reside in camps in Duhok province, followed by Erbil. The last IDP camp in Sulaimani province is nearing closure.

“There is significant demand on the branches of the directorate, especially in Duhok.,” said Ali Abbas Jahangir, head of the ministry. So far, nearly 6,000 people have requested to return home. We have sent 30 civil servants to Duhok’s branch to handle civilian affairs. If the camps do not close by the deadline, Iraq’s Council of Ministers must make a decision about it.”

The Erbil office of Iraq’s migration ministry has increased efforts to implement an Iraqi government decision to close all IDP camps in the country, including in the Kurdistan Region, before July 30.

Baghdad has offered 4 million Iraqi dinars (about $3,050) to families to return to their homes prior to the federal government’s deadline that will end aid for IDPs.

Despite the financial incentive, many families are reluctant to leave because of continuing violence in their hometowns, a lack of reconstruction following the destruction of their homes, and little in the way of basic services. Some who voluntarily left the camps have been forced to return, unable to piece together the basics

Authorities are required to establish conditions and means for IDPs to return voluntarily, in safety and with dignity, according to the UN's guiding humanitarian principles.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/090720242

[Anthea]

Yazidi suffering in Iraqi camps

Yazidis who fled the Sinjar district in Mosul province of Iraq to camps in Duhok following attacks by the Daesh terror group, have been forced to live apart from their homes for nearly 10 years

That is because of the occupation of the district by another terror organisation, the PKK.

Daesh terrorists attacked Sinjar, a region with an Yazidi-majority population, in August 2014.

The terror group kidnapped and killed thousands, including women and children, or detained them in areas under its control.

The PKK terrorist organisation managed to establish a foothold in Sinjar in 2014 under the pretext of protecting the Yazidi community from Daesh terrorists.

Sinjar has a strategic location, as it is 120 kilometres from Mosul and close to the Turkish-Syrian border.

An agreement between Erbil and Baghdad that was signed October 9, 2020, to eliminate the PKK terror group in the region, has not yet been implemented

Fear of returning to their homeland

Fearing that the PKK in Sinjar would kidnap and kill their children, Yazidis are afraid to return to their hometown.

Jalal Casim, who is residing in the Sharya Camp established in 2014 for Yazidi refugees in Duhok, said that Sinjar needs an environment of peace and security, and under current conditions, they cannot return home.

"The armed elements in Sinjar (PKK terrorists) pose an obstacle to our return. Sinjar must be cleared of armed groups. For refugees to return, Sinjar must be made safe both administratively and militarily. If the armed groups there are removed, people can return," said Casim.

Ture Murad said despite the harsh conditions, life is better than conditions in Sinjar.

"We do not have security there”

"We want to return to Sinjar, to our home. but currently, there is chaos there. There is no possibility of living in Sinjar. At least in the camps, we have safety and we are not afraid," she said.

Another woman, Hohe Halef, whose mother, brother, sister-in-law and nephew were kidnapped by the Daesh terror group, said: "We cannot return to Sinjar because we do not have security there.”

“Due to the presence of the PKK/YPG and other armed groups, there is no safety there. They would take our children away. That's why we do not want to return," she said

In its nearly 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK —listed as a terror organisation by Türkiye, the US and the EU— has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.

https://www.trtworld.com/turkiye/pkk-oc ... s-18179357

[Anthea]

KRG’s Financial Aid to Survivors

An advisor to the Kurdistan Region Prime Minister on Yezidi affairs has stated that the Region’s financial assistance to the Yezidi survivors of Islamic State crimes will provide significant support and encourage them to start a new and purposeful life

Harman Mirza Beg, Advisor to the KRG’s Prime Minister for Yezidi Community Affairs, told BasNews on Sunday that Masrour Barzani, the Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, has always been a great supporter of the Yezidis, especially these survivors, as they need a prosperous life.

He explained that more than 3,000 people will receive this financial assistance through the cultural and social center, and the projects of the KRG for the survivors of ISIS will continue.

“The Kurdistan Region and the Prime Minister himself are always concerned about the Yezidis, and there are several future projects, especially for Sinjar, focusing on the psychological treatment of survivors, as well as initiatives for those who have been excluded from education,” Mirza Beg added.

The advisor to the Prime Minister mentioned that the KRG supports the implementation of the Sinjar agreement as it stands, so that people can return to their ancestral homeland prosperously, free from the imposition of certain parties.

Earlier this month, PM Barzani announced the launch of a financial assistance program for survivors of ISIS terrorist crimes in Erbil.

“This program is a monthly donation to more than 3,000 Yezidi sisters who survived ISIS’s heinous crimes. With the improvement of the financial situation, the level of our assistance to these loved ones will expand. We will provide all necessary support to ensure they have a decent life and heal a small part of their wounds, especially in finding job opportunities, continuing their education, and receiving medical treatment,” the Kurdish Prime Minister explained.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/854313

[Anthea]

Iraq to keep Yazidi camps open

as PKK occupies Sinjar

Iraq on Thursday revoked an earlier decision to close camps housing Yazidis displaced by the PKK terrorist group that has occupied their homes in northern Sinjar district

In an Aug. 3, 2014, attack on the Sinjar district, the historic land of Yazidis, Daesh terrorists kidnapped and killed thousands of people, including women and children, or detained them in areas they controlled.

Approximately 300,000 people lived in Sinjar before the attacks, with two-thirds of them being Yazidis and the remaining population comprising Sunni Kurds and Arabs.

The PKK terrorist group managed to establish a foothold in Sinjar in 2014 under the pretext of protecting the Yazidi community from Daesh terrorists. The terrorist group was accused of blocking aid to the Yazidi minority in Iraq while hindering their return to the Sinjar region.

Hundreds of thousands of Yazidis, who had to flee their homes after the Daesh attack, have been living in the camps in northern Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) under harsh conditions.

Baghdad and KRG capital Irbil signed a deal in 2020 to end the presence of the PKK in Sinjar, but it has not been implemented yet.

Despite the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displacement's initial decision to close the camps by July 30, the PKK's presence has forced Yazidis to endure harsh conditions at the camps.

Pir Dayan, director general of Migration, Displacement and Crisis Management in Duhok Governorate, said the closure decision was made by Baghdad without consulting the Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) or the Yazidis.

He noted ongoing discussions with the Iraqi government to find a more suitable mechanism for the camps' situation, confirming that "the camps remain as they are, and the closure decision is on hold."

Dayan said that some Yazidis had previously returned to Sinjar but came back to the camps due to "security issues, unemployment and a lack of services" in the PKK-controlled area.

The Yazidis, whose mass killings were recognized as a genocide by the United Kingdom last month, are a Kurdish-speaking ethno-religious minority found mainly in Iraq.

They are followers of an ancient religion rooted in Zoroastrianism that emerged in Iran over 4,000 years ago.

Of the world's nearly 1.5 million Yazidis, the largest number, 550,000, lived in Iraq before the Daesh attacks in 2014.

Daesh attacked the Yazidi bastion of Sinjar in August 2014, killing over 1,200 people, leaving several hundred children orphaned and destroying nearly 70 shrines, according to local authorities. A further 6,400 Yazidis were abducted, around half of whom were rescued or managed to flee.

https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/war ... ies-sinjar

[Anthea]

Implementation of Sinjar Agreement

The US State Department is urging the Iraqi federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government to fully implement the Sinjar Agreement, citing its importance for the recovery of communities affected by the 2014 Islamic State genocide

State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller highlighted the agreement as a critical step in supporting those targeted by ISIS, particularly the Yezidi community.

“So we do believe that the Sinjar Agreement was an important start for supporting those targeted in the 2014 genocide committed by ISIS. But as you note, the agreement has not yet been fully implemented, which must be done in partnership with local communities, including the Yezidis,” Miller stated.

He emphasized the upcoming 10th anniversary of the genocide as a significant moment to demonstrate meaningful progress.

Miller noted the political complexities surrounding Sinjar, a disputed area between Erbil and Baghdad, where various militia groups exert control, hindering reconstruction efforts.

He reaffirmed the US commitment to protecting vulnerable ethnic and religious communities in Iraq, detailing the substantial humanitarian assistance provided since 2018.

“For protection for vulnerable ethnic and religious communities in Iraq has always been a priority for the State Department. Since 2018, the United States has provided over $500 million in assistance to religious and ethnic minority communities that were targeted for genocide,” Miller said.

The spokesperson also underscored the US’s advocacy for Sinjar’s security to be managed by federal police and Iraqi Security Forces, including a local police force established under the Sinjar Agreement.

The call for action comes as the international community prepares to mark a decade since the atrocities committed by ISIS, with hopes that tangible progress in Sinjar will be made

In August 2014, as the terrorist group crossed from Syria, where it was formed, into Iraq, it launched a murderous assault on the Yezidis.

Some 5,000 people were killed, while some 400,000 fled for safety. Ten years later, the vast majority—nearly 300,000 people—remain in IDP camps in the Kurdistan Region--THOUSANDS still missing

In October 2020, Baghdad and Erbil signed an agreement intended to build stability in Iraq’s Sinjar district through a new administration and security structure that would let displaced people return. The deal is only partly fulfilled, however.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/855227

[Anthea]

Sinjar Unsafe for Refugees

The head of the 17th branch of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in Sinjar has stated that the current security, administrative, and service conditions in Sinjar are inadequate for the return of refugees

Nazim Harki, head of the KDP office in Sinjar, discussed the situation in an interview with BasNews, criticized the Iraqi Ministry of Migration's actions as politically motivated rather than addressing the actual needs of the people.

He highlighted concerns about the forced return of refugees under pressure, emphasizing that the situation in Sinjar is dire due to insufficient administrative and security services. He also warned of the potential for renewed displacement of the Yezidis, especially following the PKK’s release of numerous former Islamic State (ISIS) militants from Syrian Kurdistan.

“The pressure from the Iraqi Ministry of Migration is forcing people to return, but they are not comfortable. Iraq is not providing for them; the rush to demonstrate a lack of refugees is merely political propaganda. The Ministry of Migration keeps changing its stance, which creates uncertainty and frustration among the refugees,” Harki said.

Harki expressed concerns about the potential for further displacement of the Yezidis, noting that the conditions necessary for their safe return are not currently met, leading to an expectation of reverse migration where refugees might end up living in tents again.

He also pointed out that the release of IS militants by the PKK in Syria has heightened fears among the Sinjar population about a possible resurgence of IS. “People fear that IS might return and repeat past atrocities. The only solution is the full implementation of the Sinjar agreement,” Harki asserted.

The KDP official emphasized that for peace and stability in Sinjar, the Sinjar agreement must be implemented. Signed in October 2020 between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Iraqi federal government, with backing from the United Nations and the US, the agreement remains largely unfulfilled due to the presence of illegal militia groups in Sinjar and surrounding areas.

Harki criticized the PKK for exacerbating the situation in Sinjar, stating, “Wherever conditions are poor, the authorities are responsible. The PKK, which has imposed itself on the area, is accountable for the ongoing instability. As long as these illegal forces remain in Sinjar, the situation will not improve.”

Meanwhile, a Kurdish member of the Iraqi Parliament reported that Baghdad has suspended its decision to return refugees and close camps in the Kurdistan Region due to pressure from the international community and organizations.

Jiwan Abdullah, Deputy Chairman of the Human Rights Committee in the Iraqi Parliament, told BasNews that although the deadline for closing all camps in the Kurdistan Region was set for July 31, all camps in Sulaymaniyah were closed, but those in Erbil and Duhok remain open. International organizations have reported that conditions in Sinjar are unsuitable for the safe return of refugees.

“The issue has been politicized, with claims that the KRG is blocking refugee returns. However, we have repeatedly assured that the KRG is not obstructing returns; rather, it is the lack of services and reconstruction that prevents refugees from going back,” Abdullah said.

She noted that the Iraqi federal government suspended the decision to return refugees and close the camps due to pressure from international organizations.

“A week ago, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that the security situation in the areas designated for refugee return is unstable and lacks services,” the Iraqi MP added.

Earlier this year, the Iraqi federal government had announced plans to close all refugee camps across Iraq, including those in the Kurdistan Region, by July 31. However, Ali Abbas, spokesperson for the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Refugees, informed Iraqi media on July 25 that the decision to close the refugee camps in the Kurdistan Region was postponed for various reasons, without specifying the details.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/855546

[Anthea]

KRG Finds 819 Mass Graves

Kurdistan’s Investigative and Evidence Collection Agency announced Tuesday that it has located 819 mass graves in Sinjar and Nineveh since the Islamic State (ISIS) seized control of these areas nearly a decade ago

These graves, which contain both individual and group burials, have been the focus of ongoing excavation efforts.

Nechirvan Suleiman, who leads the agency, told Shafaq News Agency that 420 of these graves have been excavated. "So far, we have identified 170 individuals, and their remains have been reburied in designated cemeteries in Sinjar. Unfortunately, about 200 individuals remain unidentified."

Currently, approximately 2,136 people are still missing.

Suleiman emphasized that the agency is working closely with local families and communities to identify the remaining victims. "We have collected blood samples from around 4,000 people to assist in this process, which is vital for returning the remains to their families."

The agency also mentioned that "12 survivors of the Sinjar mass graves are key witnesses to ISIS’s crimes and are crucial for documenting these atrocities and ensuring justice is served."

Kheiri Ali, head of the Petrichor Organization for Human Rights in Sinjar, voiced frustration over the slow progress of the exhumations. "Since operations began in 2019, only 55 out of 92 identified mass graves have been opened. So far, we have identified, returned, and reburied 242 Yazidi remains with proper ceremonial rites in Sinjar," he stated.

Ali pointed out several obstacles, including the significant migration of victims' families abroad, which hampers the collection of blood samples necessary for identification. Additionally, logistical challenges have further slowed the exhumation efforts.

Victims' families expressed their anguish and urgent need for resolution. Jassim Khalaf, who lost seven family members, said, "We are in limbo. We need this process to move faster so we can finally find peace."

Alia Jardo, who lost her husband and one of her daughters, shared her ongoing sorrow. "Ten years have passed, and we are still waiting in vain. I just want to know their fate—whether they are alive or dead. My heart aches every day; we need closure."

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/855880

[Anthea]

Pentagon Affirms ISIS Threat Remains

United States (Kurdistan 24) – The U.S. Defense Department announced on Tuesday that the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy, Daniel Shapiro, along with the Defeat-ISIS Coordinator, Alan Matney, met last week with Yezidi civil society leaders

The Defense Department account of their meeting included several important points about the broader security situation. They include the Pentagon’s assessment that “the ISIS threat remains,” as well as its affirmation that it remains committed to “ensuring that ISIS will not resurge.

The Pentagon meeting was held on Friday, three days after the Yezidi leaders met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The Yezidi delegation’s visit to Washington took place “on the eve of the 10-year anniversary on August 3 of the genocide perpetrated by ISIS against the Yezidis, as well as Christians and Shia Muslims,” the Pentagon summary of the meeting explained.

“ISIS committed crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing against these same groups,” it continued, “and in some cases against Sunni Muslims, Kurds, and other communities.”

The Pentagon described ISIS’s great brutalities. “Between 2014 and 2017, ISIS displaced millions of Iraqis from their historic homelands, including the majority of Iraq's Yezidi population,” it said.

“In August 2014, the U.S. military played a key role in repelling ISIS assaults on displaced Yezidis stranded on Mount Sinjar and in delivering humanitarian relief in the 10 years that followed,” it explained.

Although ISIS was defeated territorially, in the sense it has ceased to control significant stretches of land, “The ISIS threat remains, and millions remain displaced” in both Iraq and Syria, “including 300,000 members of the Yezidi population,” it said.

“On the eve of the 10-year anniversary of the genocide, the Department joins its partners in the United States Government in honoring the survivors, remembering those who died, and underscoring our commitment to supporting the ongoing recovery of the communities that suffered under ISIS,” the Pentagon statement concluded, as it affirmed the Defense Department’s determination to “delivering accountability to those responsible for this tragedy, and ensuring that ISIS will not resurge.”

Need to Implement Sinjar Agreement

Indeed, last week, Washington called for implementing the Sinjar agreement, which was concluded between Baghdad and Erbil in October 2020 to facilitate the Yezidis’ return to their homeland.

As State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller affirmed, “We do believe that the Sinjar Agreement was an important start for supporting those targeted in the 2014 genocide committed by ISIS.” but It “has not yet been fully implemented, which must be done in partnership with local communities, including the Yezidis.”

As Miller stated, the agreement has not been implemented. That is due to several reasons. The presence of armed groups, including the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party), has left the area insecure, while the devastation wrought by the conflict has not been repaired. Infrastructure and housing remain destroyed.

In May, Uzra Zeya, Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, visited Erbil, where she met with the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Masrour Barzani.

Zeya and Barzani agreed on the need to implement the Sinjar agreement. Most of the Yezidis currently live in IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camps in the Kurdistan Region, and, of course, the KRG would like to see them return home–but to do so voluntarily, and not be coerced.

In January, in an effort to normalize Iraq’s situation, the new Iraqi government of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, said that it would order the closure of all IDP camps in Iraq by July 30, including in the Kurdistan Region.

The KRG responded, however, that it would not force people to leave the camps and return to their homes, if they are unwilling to do so.

Faced with Erbil’s position, Baghdad backed down. It agreed to form a committee consisting of the federal government, the KRG, and international organizations to assess the situation, as a Kurdish official recently told the Associated Press.

“The return will be voluntary and not forced,” he said.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/36 ... Resurgence

[Anthea]

Failing Sinjar Reconstruction

An Iraqi lawmaker has criticized the federal government for failing to fulfill promises made by the Prime Minister regarding the reconstruction, normalization, and return of refugees to Sinjar. He claims that these initiatives have stalled due to corruption

Mahma Khalil, a member of the Iraqi Parliament, stated at a news conference that service projects and the reconstruction of offices in Sinjar are progressing slowly and inefficiently, with projects being manipulated.

Khalil alleges that no significant projects have been implemented, as is the case in Nineveh province.

He accused the Iraqi Interior Ministry of corrupt practices in the recruitment of police officers.

According to an agreement to normalize Sinjar, 2,500 policemen should have been recruited from the local population, but this has not happened

“All the negligence in implementing the Sinjar agreement and normalizing the situation in the city has led to a loss of confidence. As representatives of the people of Sinjar and the Yezidi community, we will turn to international courts because the threat of illegal armed groups in Sinjar continues,” Khalil added.

He questioned why the Iraqi federal government has not addressed the reasons for the delayed return of Sinjar residents.

“We call on international observers to directly supervise and monitor the process of normalizing the situation in Sinjar and the return of refugees,” he explained.

As of April, only 43 percent of the more than 300,000 people displaced from Sinjar had returned, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

IOM Chief of Mission Giorgi Gigauri stated that returns have been hindered by concerns over safety and security, the need for reconstruction, improved public services, economic opportunities, widespread residential destruction, accountability, redress and compensation, and community reconciliation.

The Iraqi federal government has postponed an order to clear out camps in the Kurdish Region that house thousands of people who fled when the Islamic State seized their home areas a decade ago.

Earlier this year, Baghdad ordered the camps to be closed by July 30, offering payments of 4 million dinars to those who leave.

However, the Kurdistan Regional Government refused to implement the closure order, arguing that the areas from which the displaced people fled—particularly the remote district of Sinjar, the historic homeland of the Yezidi religious minority—are not yet suitable for returns.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/855955

[Anthea]

Yazidi woman, child rescued

ERBIL, Kurdistan - A Yazidi woman and a child were rescued by Kurdish forces in Western Kurdistan on Thursday, ending a decade of captivity just days before the tenth anniversary of the Islamic State (ISIS) attack on the Yazidi heartland of Shingal

Azize Khalil, 25, is from Shingal’s Kocho village. She raised Khunav, who was only two months old when she was kidnapped by ISIS when the group attacked Shingal in 2014. The two were rescued from the notorious al-Hol camp.

A third Yazidi is 24-year-old Tawaf Dawoud Chato from Gir Uzer village in Shingal. She was captured her on the Syria-Iraq border when she was trying to escape ISIS. When interrogated by the Kurdish force, she revealed her Yazidi identity.

Chato’s freedom from ISIS captivity has previously been reported.

Hussein Qaidi, head of the Yazidi rescue office, affiliated with the Kurdistan Region Presidency, told Rudaw in June that Chato “arrived in Iraq from Western Kurdistan today.”

He said that Iraqi security forces were keeping her until she returned to her hometown, Shingal.

When ISIS swept through the Yazidi heartland of Shingal in August 2014, committing genocide, the group abducted 6,417 women and children who were forced into sexual slavery and labour. Many have been rescued from al-Hol that houses tens of thousands of ISIS families and supporters.

According to data provided by Qaidi’s office, at least 3,576 of the abducted Yazidis have been rescued so far.

Amnesty International said in a report on Wednesday that Yazidi survivors of ISIS atrocities have been abandoned to indefinite detention at al-Hol camp

“The Yezidi community suffered unthinkable harm at the hands of Islamic State. Ten years after ISIS first launched its attack against the Yazidis, their suffering continues today, as thousands remain missing,” said Lauren Aarons, Amnesty International’s senior adviser on gender, conflict and international justice.

“Many Yezidis who were mistakenly swept up following the collapse of ISIS have been languishing in indefinite detention in dire and life-threatening conditions in Western Kurdistan. These Yezidis must now be identified, freed and provided with the ongoing support they need,” she added.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeas ... /010820241

[Anthea]

National Day of Remembrance

for Genocide Victims

The Kurdistan Government (KRG) strongly endorsed on Thursday Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani's decision to designate a day dedicated to honoring the victims of the Yezidi genocide and all other genocides

KRG spokesperson Peshawa Hawramani announced the Iraqi federal government's approval of this meaningful initiative, underscoring the importance of honoring and remembering the victims.

"The Kurdistan Government wholeheartedly supports the Iraqi Prime Minister's decision to designate August 3rd each year as a day of respect for Yazidi victims and all genocide victims," Hawramani stated.

He elaborated on PM Sudani’s directive, explaining, "In accordance with the Prime Minister's decision, at 10 am on this day every year, government offices, public places, markets, and streets will observe a moment of silence to honor the souls of the victims."

This annual observance aims to acknowledge the profound suffering endured by the Yazidi community and other genocide victims, ensuring their memory is preserved and respected across the nation.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/856131

[Anthea]

Minute of silence for Yazidi victims of ISIS

The Iraqi and Kurdish governments will hold a minute of silence on Saturday to mark the tenth anniversary of the Yazidi genocide committed by the Islamic State (ISIS). This commemoration will be an annual event

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani ordered all government offices to “stand for a minute of silence on August 3 every year at 10am and stop the movement of vehicles as a commemoration of the souls of all martyrs of Iraq and victims of genocide on the National Day of the Genocide of the Yazidis.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) welcomed the move, spokesperson Peshawa Hawramani said in a statement on Thursday, adding that “the Kurdistan Region will respect this decision and consider it important and necessary.”

When ISIS swept through the Yazidi heartland of Shingal in August 2014, committing genocide, the group killed an estimated 5,000 mainly men and older women, and abducted 6,417 women and children who were forced into sexual slavery and labour.

At least 3,576 of the abducted Yazidis have been rescued so far, according to Hussein Qaidi, head of the Yazidi rescue office that is affiliated with the Kurdistan Region Presidency. Many of them were found in al-Hol camp that houses tens of thousands of ISIS families and supporters in Western Kurdistan.

The latest rescue was announced just this week. A Yazidi woman and a child were found by Kurdish forces in Western Kurdistan on Thursday, ending a decade of ISIS captivity.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/020820241

[Anthea]

Letter to all the World and its Leader

We beg and plead all the World's leaders, the media and the entire population of this planet, to pay attention to the terrible situation of = Yezidis in the Southern Kurdistan and to help then to be rescued from a genocide.

The existence of thousands Yezidi Kurds hang in the balance. They fled their homes in Shingal Mountain to escape the onslaught of the murderous and unforgiving fighters of the Islamic State. Some 50,000 Yezidis – half of them are children – are now trapped on the mountain. Weaponless men unable to defend their families, innocent women, children, babies in arms, the sick, the old, the vulnerable, a whole population now face a choice between slaughtering from the merciless Islamic State or dying slowly by starvation and thirst.

Yezidis are a gentle and peaceful community which suffered during past centuries from many massacres and a genocide in 1915, when they shared in Ottoman Turkey the fate of Armenians and Syriac Christians. At this time, Yezidis from Sinjar offered a shelter to many Armenians fleeing Northern regions.

Now it is time to save them now from a total annihilation. We pray to all people receiving this statement to be kind enough to print it, post it, email it, sent it to media outlets, your local MP and the President/Prime Minister of your country.

Please do not allow that horrific genocide of Halabja, when 6000 Kurds were gassed by Saddam Hussein, to be repeated today in Shingal.

Respectfully

Dr. Jawad Mella and Friends

President Kurdistan National Congress 05/08/2014
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dr-Jawad ... e=bookmark

Your support for these innocent people is much appreciated and you are invited to sign your names before passing the letter on.
................................................................................................
Remember that the slaughter of THOUSANDS continued for more than a week following our appeals

We watched the horrors unfold, people being kidnapped, slaughtered, some buried alive, others dying of cold, hunger and thirst on the mountain

Nobody did anything, nobody cared and after 10 living in fear, still NOBODY does anything to protect these innocent people

Countless times I have wept while posting news of the horrors Yazidis were going through

Our appeal remains the same:

PLEASE support the Yazidis, remove all armed militant groups from their lands, rebuild the towns and villages and use UN peacekeeping forces PROTECT the Yazidis from any future attacks

[Anthea]

Institut Kurde de Paris

Kurdish Institute Paris

Commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the Yezidis Genocide

On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the genocide of the Yezidis by the Daech hordes, a commemoration meeting will take place this Saturday, August 3rd from 14:00 to 17:00 at Mairie du 10e - Paris on the initiative of the federation of the Yazidis de France with the support of the Kurdish Institute.

We invite you to come in large numbers to pay tribute to the Yezidi community affected by this tragedy and to discuss ways to advance the cause of international recognition of this genocide.

On Saturday,
August 3, 2024
From 2 pm to 5 pm
At the Town Hall of the 10th Arrondissement
72 Faubourg street Saint Martin,
75010 Paris

Programme :
• 14:00 — Welcome and welcome word
• 14:30 — Broadcast of the film of the FYF members' visit to Iraq
• 3:00 p.m. — Testimonials from survivors and speeches from speakers
• 4:30 p.m. — Get together and buffet