Shingal remembers Yazidi genocide
Hundreds of people gathered in northern Iraqi Shingal region, in remembrance of thousands of Yazidis killed, captured or sold as sex slaves by the Islamic State (ISIS) eight years ago.
Several NGOs called on the world leaders to recognize the events of August 2014 a genocide, In a commemorative ceremony held in Sinue town of Shingal,Mezopotamya Agency reported.
On August 3, 2014, ISIS militants took over the Shingal district and systematically killed men and older women, and enslaved younger women and children. In a few days the islamist militants killed 1,293 and abducted 6,417 as thousand others fled their homes, according to Office for Yazidi Abductees' Affairs, Rudaw reported.
Approximately 6,417 Yazidis were kidnapped by ISIS. Young women and girls were sold into sexual slavery, with boys forced to fight for the islamic group. 3,554 have been rescued by now - including 1,207 women, the office said.
In a statement during the ceremony, the NGOs said: “2,882 Yazidis are still missing, only 31 of the 82 mass graves have been opened so far. …So far, no country has taken any steps for the reconstruction of Shengal.”
The NGOs called on the United Nations to search the missing Yazidis and the world powers to recognize the Yazidi genocide.
The US Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski also joined in to commemorate the genocide on Twitter:
Today we join the Yezidi community in remembering those lost and the survivors of the Daesh genocide. We renew our commitment to ensure Daesh can never inflict its hateful ideology again and encourage all parties to implement the Sinjar Agreement and the Yezidi Survivors Law.
— Ambassador Alina L. Romanowski (@USAmbIraq) August 3, 2022
KRI (Kurdistan Region of Iraq) President Nechirvan Barzani, Iraq Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, Yazidi figures, and other Kurdish officials attended another event held in Duhok’s Semel district.
“This was the greatest tragedy of the 21st century inflicted on Yazidis” Barzani said in a speech delivered at the event.
Yazidis are a Kurmanji-speaking endogamous minority group having roots in a pre-Zoroastrian Iranic faith, based on a belief in one God, who created the world and entrusted it into the care of seven angels, their leader and most known being ‘Melek Taûs’.
