Feyli community calls on Iraq to act on genocide recognition
Iraqi lawmakers, activists, and Feyli Kurdish representatives convened in Baghdad on Saturday to demand urgent action to restore the long-denied rights of the Feyli community, citing decades of forced displacement, property confiscation, and continued marginalization.
The Member of the Feyli Front Sara Hussein underscored the community's historical suffering under previous regimes, including mass displacement and executions. Despite political change in Iraq, most Feylis have yet to regain their seized assets or receive compensation, she told Shafaq News.
'Today, we are still marginalized. Parliamentarians and officials have made efforts to implement laws protecting our rights, but bureaucratic hurdles and overlapping jurisdictions continue to block Property Restitution Law,' she stated, urging parliament to prioritize Article 140 in the next legislative session.
Hussein also highlighted the neglect facing the Feyli language, warning that it risks extinction without serious cultural revival efforts. 'The Feyli language is distinct from Kurdish and holds unique cultural and social value.'
Generational trauma and official recognition
According to community data, more than 22,000 young Feylis went missing in the 1980s, and some 5,000 merchants were reportedly buried alive. Nearly 600,000 were deported from Iraq, with only about 10% managing to recover their properties or secure compensation.
In 2010, Iraq's Supreme Criminal Court recognized the persecution of Feyli Kurds—including forced disappearances and property confiscations—as acts of genocide.
Additionally, the Head of the Feyli Women's League Sabah Nur al-Din stressed the importance of raising awareness through such symposiums, emphasizing the need for young MPs to champion the community's rights.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
28 minutes ago
- Shafaq News
Houthis strike Israel with drones after Red Sea port bombing
Shafaq News – Sanaa Yemen's Houthis (Ansarallah) announced Monday it had launched a series of drone attacks on multiple targets inside Israel, including airports and port facilities, in retaliation for Israeli airstrikes on Yemen's Red Sea port of al-Hudaydah. Houthi military spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree stated that the operation involved five drones and successfully struck Ben Gurion Airport, Ramon Airport, a key facility in the port city of Ashdod, a military site in Jaffa, and the port of Eilat (Umm al-Rashrash). 'The operation was a direct response to Israel's recent aggression against the port of al-Hudaydah,' Saree said, adding that the drones 'successfully achieved their targets.' #معركة_الفتح_الموعود_والجهاد_المقدس — أمين حيان Ameen Hayyan (@AminHian) July 21, 2025 Earlier today, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed that the Israeli Air Force had carried out strikes on Houthi infrastructure. The Israeli military stated that the strikes targeted "military installations" used by the Houthis. The Israeli army also reported intercepting a drone believed to have been launched from Yemen. No alarms were activated under standard protocol.
Shafaq News
28 minutes ago
- Shafaq News
First call with Palestinian President: Pope urges protection of civilians
Shafaq News – Vatican City On Monday, Pope Leo XIV held a phone call with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, stressing the urgent need to protect civilians and uphold international humanitarian standards, according to the Vatican. During the conversation, the Pope underscored the obligation to preserve sacred sites, prevent indiscriminate violence, and reject the forced displacement of Palestinians. The Vatican said the "Holy Father" also voiced concern over the worsening humanitarian crisis and called for swift, unhindered access to aid for those most at risk. In a symbolic note, he recalled the tenth anniversary of the Comprehensive Agreement between the "Holy See" and the State of Palestine—signed in 2015 and in force since 2016—reaffirming the Vatican's commitment to a just peace. This latest appeal follows Pope Leo's recent call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on July 20, during which he urged an immediate ceasefire and condemned the war's 'barbarism,' calling for a peaceful resolution.
Rudaw Net
an hour ago
- Rudaw Net
PM Sudani welcomes new commander of anti-ISIS coalition
Also in Iraq Iraq cannot control militias attacking Kurdistan Region, says MP Iraq records 16 new cases of Crimean-Congo fever Iraqi parliament to convene on Kurdistan Region drone attacks Iraq arrests 40 over alleged baathist plots, sectarian incitement A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani on Monday received Kevin Lambert, the new commander of the US-led global coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS). They discussed the future of the coalition forces in the country. Lambert was part of a delegation which included the outgoing commander of the coalition, Kevin Leahy, and Commander of US Central Command, Michael Kurilla. During the meeting, they discussed the cooperation between Iraq and the coalition, its development over time, and preparations to transition to bilateral security partnerships with individual coalition member states, according to a statement from Sudani's office. Sudani 'stressed the importance of maintaining stability, avoiding triggers that could escalate conflicts, and upholding the sovereignty of states in accordance with UN charters, international resolutions, dialogue, and mutual understanding. He emphasized the need to activate diplomatic efforts and cooperation to reinforce security and stability in the region,' the statement added. The US-led coalition was formed in 2014 after Iraq formally requested international assistance to counter ISIS's rapid territorial gains in Iraq and Syria. In September 2024, Iraq and the United States announced a joint agreement to end the coalition's mission in Iraq by September 2025. Baghdad has repeatedly stressed that Iraq's current security environment is vastly improved and that Iraqi forces are capable of maintaining internal stability.
