The genocidal Islamic State almost wiped out the Yazidis. They are still suffering
by Antonio Graceffo, Mercator:
In January, a ceremony was held in Baghdad for 41 Yazidi victims slaughtered in the Iraqi villages of Hardan, Kocho, and Qney during an Islamic State (IS) massacre in 2014, which some countries have recognized as a genocide. So far, 60 mass graves have been opened and 20 have yet to be examined.
Neither ISIS nor Al-Qaeda have been prominent in recent headlines, since they were largely defeated by an international coalition. However, both still exist, and following the recent Hamas attack on Israel, they have urged their followers to target Jews. This resurgence of old adversaries comes amid a rising threat of violence and human rights abuses against ethnic and religious minorities in the Middle East.
The Yazidis briefly captured global attention during the 2014 ISIS massacre, but they have since been largely overlooked. Nevertheless, the Yazidis continue to endure suffering. Currently, they face two significant challenges. They are seeking international recognition of the 2014 Yazidi genocide at the hands of ISIS and coping with ongoing persecution and attacks as they strive to reclaim and rebuild their homeland in Sinjar, also known as Shingal, in northwestern Iraq. Despite the immense cultural and historical significance of this region to the Yazidi community, they were forcibly displaced following the atrocities committed during the massacre.
The Yazidis, an endogamous religious minority speaking Kurdish, hail from the Kurdistan region in Western Asia, with an estimated population ranging from 200,000 to 1,000,000. Their community features a well-organized structure, led by a chief sheikh as the supreme religious authority and an emir, or prince, as the secular leader. Found primarily in Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Armenia, they follow Yazidism, an ancient monotheistic faith blending elements of pre-Islamic Iranian traditions, Sufism, and Christianity, with roots tracing back to the Kurdish mountains of northern Iraq.
Yazidis reside in tight-knit communities and adhere to a belief in reincarnation. Their religious values prioritize spiritual purity, resulting in the observance of various taboos regulating daily life, such as restrictions on certain foods and the avoidance of wearing blue clothing. Interaction with outsiders is discouraged, historically leading Yazidis to abstain from military service and formal education. Additionally, Yazidi society maintains a strict caste system. Throughout history, they have faced persecution from Muslim neighbors who refused to accept their cultural and religious practices.
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