Latest news with #SinjarAgreement
Rudaw Net
03-08-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
EU remembers Yazidi ‘tragedy,' urges action to support return of displaced
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The European Union on Sunday marked the 11th anniversary of the Yazidi 'tragedy,' calling for justice and better living conditions for displaced members of the community. The commemoration comes in memory of the brutal campaign launched by the Islamic State (ISIS) against the ethnoreligious minority in 2014. In a statement, the EU emphasized the 'importance of accountability for crimes committed by [ISIS] Da'esh against all victims of their terror,' including the Yazidi community. 'We welcome all actions by Iraqi authorities and international efforts to support this accountability,' the statement read. ISIS captured large parts of northern and western Iraq in mid-2014. In August of that year, the group launched a genocidal assault on the Yazidi community in the Shingal (Sinjar) region. An estimated 5,000 to 10,000 Yazidi men and elderly women were killed, while between 6,000 and 7,000 women and girls were abducted and subjected to sexual slavery and human trafficking. Around 400,000 Yazidis fled, with the majority taking refuge in the Kurdistan Region. The United Nations has officially recognized the campaign as genocide. Despite Iraq's formal declaration of victory over ISIS in 2017, more than 21,000 Yazidi families remain in displacement camps, primarily in the Kurdistan Region's northern Duhok province. Their return is chiefly hindered by unresolved security concerns and the continued presence of various armed groups in Shingal. For its part, the EU reaffirmed its support for 'Iraq's unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity,' and emphasized the importance of protecting the country's ethnic and religious diversity, 'of which the Yazidi community is an integral part.' It further added that despite efforts by the Iraqi government, the Yazidi community 'continues to face obstacles preventing them from returning to their homes,' particularly in their ancestral heartland, Shingal. The Yazidis are impeded by 'security concerns and limited access to basic social services,' the EU noted. The EU also urged Baghdad and Erbil to implement the Sinjar Agreement, signed in October 2020 with the backing of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). The agreement aims to remove non-state armed groups from Sinjar, restore stability, and reestablish local governance. However, nearly five years on, the deal remains unimplemented. Earlier on Sunday, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani called on Baghdad to shoulder full responsibility for the Yazidi heartland's security and development and 'no longer allow Shingal and Yazidi areas to become arenas for militia tensions and armed groups.' 'We stress the importance of implementing the agreement between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Iraqi federal government to normalize conditions in Shingal,' President Barzani said, referencing the Shingal Agreement.
Shafaq News
03-08-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
EU marks Yazidi genocide anniversary
Shafaq News – Baghdad On Sunday, the European Union commemorated 11 years since ISIS's genocide against Iraq's Yazidi community, urging renewed efforts for justice and accountability. In a statement, the EU Delegation to Iraq condemned the 2014 massacre in Sinjar, where thousands were executed and more than 7,000 women and children were abducted and enslaved, noting that 'some young women were only recently reunited with their families.' 11 years since Da'esh committed a massacre against the Yazidi community in Sinjar. Thousands killed, 7000+ women & children EU commemorates this tragedy, calls for justice, and urges full implementation of the Sinjar Agreement. — EU in Iraq 🇪🇺🇮🇶 (@EUinIraq) August 3, 2025 The EU reaffirmed its support for Iraq's sovereignty and social diversity, describing the Yazidis as an 'integral part' of the country's social fabric. However, it cautioned that insecurity and lack of essential services still prevent many displaced Yazidis from returning home. The delegation called on both the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Regional Government to advance accountability for ISIS crimes across all affected communities and to fully implement the 2020 Sinjar Agreement, which seeks to remove unauthorized armed groups and reestablish official governance in the district.
Shafaq News
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
11 years and counting: Yazidi's demand justice for Sinjar massacre victims
2025-08-01T13:22:08+00:00 Shafaq News – Duhok On Friday, displaced Yazidis in Zakho, within the Kurdistan Region, commemorated the 11th anniversary of the 2014 Sinjar genocide, when thousands were killed or abducted by ISIS. The ceremony was held in the Jam Mishko camp at the tent of Shami Diro, known as Day Shami, who lost 33 family members in the massacre and has since become a symbol of Yazidi suffering. The memorial included displays of photographs of victims and missing persons, alongside traditional mourning rituals. 'This day is a deep wound that will never heal,' Day Shami told Shafaq News. 'I lost 33 relatives. Eighteen were freed, eight were killed, one girl took her own life in captivity to avoid abuse, and the rest are still missing.' She urged the Iraqi government and the international community to intensify efforts to locate the missing and return the remains of the dead to their families. Yazidi lawmaker Mahma Khalil said the anniversary sends a clear message to the world, 'What happened to the Yazidis was a genocide against a peaceful community.' He criticized Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's government for 'failing' to rebuild Sinjar, implement the Sinjar Agreement, or return displaced Yazidis to their homes. Khalil revealed that more than 2,300 Yazidis remain missing, and 52 of 93 documented mass graves in Sinjar have yet to be opened, calling on international organizations to intervene and ensure justice for the victims.
Shafaq News
30-07-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
UN pledges action on Sinjar Agreement
Shafaq News – Duhok Mohamed Al Hassan, Head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and Special Representative of the Secretary-General, confirmed Wednesday that the United Nations is working 'diligently' to implement the Sinjar Agreement and improve conditions for the return of displaced families. Speaking from a displacement camp in Duhok, Kurdistan Region, Al Hassan described the agreement —prepared by Baghdad and Erbil with UN support—as a framework to enable the return of those displaced from Sinjar in northern Iraq, where ISIS's 2014 assault triggered a Yazidi genocide and mass displacement—much of it toward Duhok. 'We are working to create the right environment for families to return to their areas,' he noted, adding that discussions with federal and Regional authorities will focus on the services and infrastructure required in Sinjar's villages. He ruled out setting a timeline for resolving displacement but stressed that the prolonged presence of families in camps 'does not reflect the status of a country like Iraq, which is largely stable.' According to UNHCR, Iraq is home to 1,053,038 internally displaced persons. While most reside in urban areas or informal settlements, around 100,000 remain in 21 camps—primarily in the Kurdistan Region. Provinces hosting the largest IDP populations include Nineveh, Duhok, Erbil, al-Sulaymaniyah, Kirkuk, Saladin, Diyala, Al-Anbar, and Baghdad. Nearly 4.9 million people have returned to their home areas, particularly in Nineveh and Al-Anbar, Saladin, Diyala, Kirkuk, and Baghdad.
Iraqi News
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Iraqi News
First International Yazidi Conference opens in Duhok
Duhok ( – The first International Scientific Conference on Yazidis commenced in Duhok governorate today, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. Titled 'Religion, Culture, History, and Geography,' the two-day event brings together 105 researchers from 11 countries to highlight Yazidi identity, document their suffering, and correct misconceptions. However, proceedings included sharp criticism of the Iraqi government. In a seminar, Yazidi Member of Parliament Vian Dakhil decried 'continued government negligence,' stating the Yazidi cause lacks priority. She emphasized that thousands displaced from Sinjar since 2014 remain in difficult conditions in Kurdistan Region camps without lasting solutions. Dakhil demanded Baghdad implement the Sinjar Agreement with Erbil, or at minimum, facilitate IDP returns, rebuild infrastructure, and ensure security in Sinjar, arguing official inaction perpetuates Yazidi marginalization. Karwan Ajeeb of the Lalish Cultural Center confirmed the conference features seminars on Yazidi challenges, aiming to define their unique culture and counter misinformation. The event serves as both an academic platform and a spotlight on urgent humanitarian and political issues facing the community.
