12th Anniversary of the Genocide Against the Yazidis (August 3): Situation for Minorities in Iraq Remains Uncertain

On the occasion of the 12th anniversary of the genocide against the Yazidi population in Iraq by the so-called “Islamic State” (IS), the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) accuses the German federal government of delaying the process of coming to terms with the past and failing to take effective action. This would have been necessary following the German Bundestag’s recognition of the genocide in 2023. “Even though this has not yet happened, there are repeated calls to deport Yazidis who were victims of the genocide back to the unstable state of Iraq,” criticized Dr. Kamal Sido, the STP’s Middle East Advisor, today in Göttingen. “Members of Christian and other minorities are also not safe in Iraq or in Islamist-ruled Syria. Deporting them for populist reasons would put their lives in immediate danger.”

Furthermore, IS is still on the rise, at least ideologically. The lack of state structures in both countries prevents even a minimum standard of security for ethnic and religious minorities. “The situation remains difficult in the Iraqi region of Kurdistan as well. Although a new parliament was elected there about two years ago, the rival Kurdish parties cannot agree on forming a joint government,” Sido noted. In Syria, just a few kilometers from Sinjar (Shingal)—the site of the genocide against the Yazidis—Sunni Islamists, including ISIS, are even in power—with the support of Turkey, the U.S., and other Western governments.

The arbitrary policies of the U.S. administration under Donald Trump are fueling further chaos in the region. “Trump has no realistic plans or strategies, neither for the war against Iran nor for developments in Syria or Iraq. All of this makes Iraq and Syria unsafe for the Yazidis and other minorities,” Sido warned. “A renewed large-scale war between Sunnis and Shiites in the Middle East therefore remains a possibility.” Between 2013 and 2015, such a war allowed ISIS to grow in strength and left minorities caught in the crossfire. This enabled ISIS to commit genocide against the Yazidis in 2014.

On August 3, 2014, ISIS attacked the Yazidi community in Sinjar, northern Iraq, and murdered at least 5,000 of them. Approximately 7,000 women and girls were taken into slavery. 2,000 of them are still considered missing today. Sinjar has been largely destroyed since then. There is a lack of government structures, infrastructure, and medical care. Furthermore, the central government in Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government are disputing control over the Sinjar region.

This press release was translated from German to English using AI. If you come across errors or ambiguities, please contact us at 65]G378o6DD6CA.