Ten years have passed since the genocide of the Yazidis at the hands of ISIS terrorists. To date, on an international level, more than 18 countries have officially recognized the Yazidi genocide.
As of 2024, numerous countries and organizations have acknowledged this tragedy, including the Kurdistan Region, Germany, Australia, Belgium, Armenia, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Each recognition sheds light on the killing, selling, and capturing of Yazidi girls and young people, serving as evidence for other countries that have not yet recognized it, in hopes of preventing such inhumane events from recurring.
Despite international recognition, Iraq, where the genocide took place, has not officially acknowledged this brutality. Moreover, no Arab country has yet recognized this genocide. This gap hinders further recognition by other countries and creates obstacles in the pursuit of justice for the Yazidi community.
The United Nations and various human rights organizations continue their efforts to prosecute ISIS members responsible for these crimes, aiming to achieve justice for Yazidi survivors. However, the question remains: Is Iraq also part of this process to protect Yazidi rights and give importance to the genocide case?
Key statistics:
– Over 6,000 Yazidi civilians were killed or captured due to the ISIS attack on Sinjar.
– More than 325,000 Yazidis were displaced.
– According to the latest data from the Office for Rescuing Kidnapped Yazidis (under the Kurdistan Regional Presidency):
– 135,860 Yazidi Kurds were displaced to the Kurdistan Region
– 189,337 people were displaced to disputed areas in southern Kurdistan
– Over 100,000 people emigrated to other countries
– To date, more than 85 mass graves and several individual graves of Yazidis have been discovered in Sinjar and surrounding areas.
This ongoing tragedy highlights the need for continued international attention, recognition, and action to support the Yazidi community and prevent future atrocities. The lack of recognition from Arab countries and Iraq itself remains a significant concern in the pursuit of justice and recovery for the Yazidi people.
By: Zaeem Khalat