Masoud Barzani Marks 12th Anniversary of Yezidi Genocide
At a Glance
- KDP president Masoud Barzani issued a statement marking 12 years since the Sinjar genocide.
- Honored the victims while praising Peshmerga fighters and International Coalition support.
- Encouraged the Yezidi community to unite and return to their ancestral homeland in dignity.
- Urged full compensation for victims and the resolution of Sinjar's ongoing political instability.
The KDP president Masoud Barzani released an official statement commemorating the twelfth anniversary of the Yezidi genocide in Shingal (Sinjar), honoring the victims, praising the armed forces that broke the 2014 siege, and demanding an end to the current political instability in the Sinjar region.
Key Statements and Focus Area
- Reflecting on the Tragedy: Barzani characterized the 2014 attack as an enduring historical wound, emphasizing that "the crime committed by ISIS terrorists twelve years ago against our Yezidi sisters and brothers will remain an everlasting, deep wound in the memory of the people of Kurdistan."
- Targeting of Identity: He highlighted the underlying motivations of the onslaught, stating that "the Yezidis were subjected to genocide because of their Kurdish identity, their authenticity, and their religious beliefs," describing the attack as an extension of historical atrocities against Kurdistan.
- Praise for Military Action: Barzani expressed deep gratitude to frontline defense forces, saluting "the loyalty and heroism of all the Peshmerga who gave their blood to break the siege of Mount Sinjar and liberate the city," alongside praising the critical contribution of International Coalition forces.
- Call for Return and Redress: Looking ahead to long-term recovery, he asserted that "this unnatural situation forcibly imposed on Shingal will not last long, and our Yezidi sisters and brothers must return to the homeland of their ancestors with honor and dignity, and be compensated for the damages."
Commemoration of the 2014 Sinjar Atrocities
On the twelfth solemn anniversary of the assault on Shingal, Masoud Barzani addressed the nation to honor the thousands of Yezidi men, women, and children targeted during ISIS's violent expansion across northern Iraq in August 2014. In his official statement, opened with the traditional invocation "In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful," Barzani reaffirmed that the trauma inflicted upon the community remains deeply embedded in the collective memory of the Kurdish people.
Honor for Peshmerga Forces and International Allies
Barzani paid tribute to the Peshmerga units that mounted a fierce defense on Mount Shingal, preventing further massacres, and ultimately executed campaign operations to break the encirclement of the mountain. He noted that the sacrifice of these forces successfully "shattered the myth of ISIS." Additionally, he extended gratitude to the civilian population of Kurdistan for demonstrating widespread solidarity, as well as the International Coalition forces whose air support and tactical assistance proved instrumental in defeating the militant group in the region.
Future Demands for Sinjar and Community Restoration
Concluding his message, Barzani called upon the Yezidi community to forge internal unity to secure a stable and prosperous future. Addressing the ongoing administrative and security impasses that have stalled reconstruction in Shingal, he emphasized that current political disruptions must be overcome so displaced families can safely return to their ancestral lands with full legal recognition and financial compensation for their losses.
FYI
On August 3, 2014, Islamic State (ISIS) militants launched a surprise blitzkrieg into the Shingal district of Nineveh Governorate, targeting the predominantly Yezidi population. The attack resulted in the execution of thousands of men and the systematic abduction and enslavement of over 6,000 Yezidi women and children. Hundreds of thousands fled to Mount Shingal, where they were trapped under severe heat and lack of supplies until joint ground operations by Peshmerga and other Kurdish forces, supported by U.S.-led Coalition airstrikes, opened a security corridor in late 2014 and fully liberated Shingal city in November 2015. Over a decade later, despite the international recognition of the atrocities as genocide, full recovery remains hindered by contested governance between Baghdad and Erbil, presence of rival armed factions, incomplete infrastructure rebuilding, and thousands of displaced Yezidis remaining in temporary IDP camps across the Kurdistan Region.
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