Shafaq News/ A decade after ISIS's devastating attack on Yazidi communities, the scars of genocide and displacement remain deeply felt. While significant aid efforts have been made, Yazidis still grapple with severe hardships and the slow pace of recovery.
A Decade of Resilience
The Yazidis are a unique ethnoreligious group native to the Kurdish regions of Iraq, Syria, and Turkiye.
Their vibrant community, numbering around 500,000 in Iraq, has faced severe challenges due to displacement caused by ISIS.
In the summer of 2014, ISIS attacked Yazidi areas in Nineveh Governorate, northern Iraq, committing genocide. They kidnapped thousands of Yazidis—women, children, and men—subjecting them to torture, enslavement, and murder. Yazidi villages were destroyed, homes burned, and property looted, displacing tens of thousands.
Personal Tragedies and Lingering Trauma
A decade after the genocide, the scars of the Yazidi community remain raw and unhealed. The historical atrocities committed by ISIS are mirrored in the ongoing personal tragedies faced by survivors. Among these heartbreaking stories is that of Sarah, who lost five family members during the genocide. "I've been alone in this camp for ten years, waiting for my four daughters and my husband, whose fate remains unknown. I need help, but hope still endures in my heart," she told Shafaq News Agency.
Sarah's case exemplifies the widespread devastation and fragmentation that continue to haunt the Yazidis. Despite international aid efforts and local initiatives, the road to recovery has been painstakingly slow. The genocide left deep psychological and social wounds that are still far from healing. Ten years after the horrific events, Yazidis like Sarah remain trapped in a cycle of suffering and uncertainty, with reconstruction and justice efforts progressing at a frustratingly slow pace.
"After ten years, we can't return due to the lack of security and essential services in Sinjar. Some are trying to force us back, but we prefer to stay here," a displaced person said in an interview with Shafaq News Agency. This sentiment underscores the ongoing fear and instability that prevent many Yazidis from returning to their homeland.
Life-saving Efforts
In response to the genocide inflicted upon the Yazidis, significant efforts were made to provide humanitarian aid to displaced Yazidis, including establishing camps for shelter and basic care.
Following the genocide, Nechirvan Barzani, then Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, established the Yazidi Rescue Office to offer immediate aid to displaced Yazidis, rescue and reunite kidnapped individuals with their families, and provide psychological and social support to help them reintegrate into society.
Since its establishment, the Office has successfully rescued thousands of kidnapped Yazidis from ISIS through numerous field operations with security forces and international organizations.
Yazidis Demand Justice
Since Sinjar's liberation from ISIS in 2015, the region has faced ongoing political instability due to competing parties vying for influence, which directly affects the displaced population.
Saeed Jardo, head of the Lalish Cultural and Social Center of Yazidis in Iraq, emphasized the need for urgent international focus on the Yazidi plight, particularly in Sinjar.
In addition, Jardo emphasized the urgency of decisive action to address the Yazidis' deep suffering, highlighting the importance of expediting the International Criminal Court's process to classify the Yazidis' hardship as genocide, ensuring justice is served.
"We need to create a safe and supportive environment in Sinjar and other areas, allowing Yazidis to regain trust in their homeland and secure a hopeful future for their children."
In this context, Jardo regretted the slow progress, highlighting "the lack of reconstruction and funding for Yazidi areas, especially Sinjar, and insufficient job opportunities."
"Political conflicts and armed unrest hinder the voluntary return of displaced persons," he added, underscoring "the need for strict laws to protect Yazidis and other minorities, prevent past atrocities, and ensure social justice without discrimination."
130,000 Displaced, 2,900 Missing
Khairy Bouzani, the head of the KRG's kidnapped Yazidis Rescue Office said, "The Yazidi genocide continues, with over 130,000 displaced people enduring harsh conditions in Kurdistan Region camps. Additionally, more than 2,900 people remain missing, their fate still unknown."
"The federal government, through the Ministry of Immigration, has been forcibly returning displaced people to Sinjar, a disaster-stricken and military zone unsuitable for civilian living," he affirmed.
Yazidi observers told Shafaq News Agency that "the Yazidis' future hinges on international and Iraqi government cooperation to improve their conditions."
Furthermore, "Essential efforts include creating a safe and stable environment in Sinjar through reconstruction, securing infrastructure, and providing basic services. Additionally, facilitating ICC procedures is crucial to achieving justice and prosecuting criminals," they stated.
Closing Camp, Closing Hopes
The imminent closure of camps in Iraq has heightened fears among religious minorities, particularly those displaced during ISIS's control from 2014 to 2017.
However, many displaced people hesitate to return due to the war-torn conditions in areas like west Mosul and Sinjar.
Inadequate services, limited livelihood opportunities, and a breakdown in trust with other ethnic and religious groups continue to prevent their return and rebuilding efforts.
Moreover, the extensive destruction of homes and infrastructure further complicates the situation, making rebuilding efforts slow and challenging. The lack of essential services such as healthcare, education, and utilities in the Yazidi areas also deterred returnees.
Therefore, the genocide and worsening conditions in Yazidi areas and displacement camps prompted many Yazidis to migrate outside Iraq.
Local Yazidi officials told Shafaq News Agency, "Thousands of Yazidis have left Iraq, first obtaining visas to Turkiye and then immigrating illegally."
"Yazidis are driven to migrate primarily due to the ISIS genocide, as well as ongoing poor economic conditions in their regions and displacement camps, which have persisted for years without being resolved," they further confirmed.