The 2014 Genocide

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is recognized by the United Nations as the perpetrator of a genocide of Yazidis in the Sinjar area, northern Iraq. The genocide led to the expulsion, flight and effective exile of the Yazidis from their ancestral lands in Upper Mesopotamia. Wikipedia

Ezidis have endured countless attempts at annihilation, discrimination and hardship throughout their history, especially since the emergence of the Abrahamic religions. 73 of these acts can be counted, commanded by various the various powers that controlled the region. 

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In 2014, a 74th atrocious act was committed by the so-called Islamic State organization against the Ezidi community, a well-elaborated plan to destroy the very foundation of a society that was carrying high the banner of peace and the culture of tolerance. 

On the 3rd of August 2014, ISIS invaded the regions of Sinjar and Nineveh in the North of Iraq, ancestral home to several minorities of the country.

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This conquest was pivotal for the terrorist organization, which intended to "clean" its territory from what they viewed as infidels. 

The Ezidi community, depicted as devil worshippers by ISIS was destroyed on the first day of the invasion.

In Sinjar, more than 2,000 people (mostly men) were systematically killed and more than 6,000 women and children were captured to be held in captivity and enslaved. 

Some survivors managed to flee to the Kurdistan region of Iraq or the Sinjar mountain, dominating the region and considered as sacred for the Ezidis since centuries. 

There, they were confronted by the lack of water and food but also the constant attacks of the terrorists, settled at the bottom of the mountain.

The women and young girls who have been kidnapped were directly transported to Mosul or Raqqa to be sold as slaves. They were forced to convert, were raped, humiliated, tortured and detained. 

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The young boys who were kidnapped were sent to training camps to be brainwashed in order to put them on the front lines. 

The survivors have lost everything and have been forced away from their homes, schools, universities or jobs. 

Survivors were sent to Internally Displaced People camps (IDPs), where nowadays more than 300.000 of them have been living for 6 years.

Currently, camps are not safe and stable places to live in due to lack of services, aid and personnel; not to forget about the indifference of governmental bodies and local institutions. Most of the Ezidis suffered from psychological conditions and are lacking proper help, some of them have committed suicide.

Today, the genocide is still ongoing. 

Ezidis are still getting killed and thousands, mostly women and children,  are still missing as they are being held captive by ISIS.

In addition, the Ezidi survivors in IDPs are living in conditions that violate the most fundamental human rights.

Kocho

The village of Kocho, situated south of the Sinjar village suffered a specific fate in this genocide. 

While the entire region was invaded and ISIS began its genocidal entreprise against the community, they besieged Kocho for 12 days. 

During this time period, the village leaders negotiated with the ISIS fighters to safely leave the village but the attempts to resolve the situation failed. 

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On the 15 of August, the villagers were ordered to gather in the village school. On arrival, the women and children were separated from the men and adolescent boys. The latter were taken outside the village to be killed. 

The women and girls were taken to Raqqa and Mosul to be sold as slaves.