VIDEO: Meet the Ezidi whose 77 family members IS kidnapped

DUHOK, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) - Haji Hamid Taa'lo is one of the thousands of Kurdish Ezidi people who have suffered a great loss due to the Islamic State (IS) invasion of their hometown.

In an interview with Kurdistan 24, Haji recounted his story of losing most of his family and relatives. Following the occupation of Sinjar (Shingal) by the jihadist group in Aug. 2014, IS kidnapped thousands of Ezidi women and executed men.

IS kidnapped 77 members of Haji's family among whom 31 have been rescued, but 46 remain under the IS control.

"My children, nieces, sisters, brothers, and cousins disapeared," he said.

Haji has rescued many of his family members from IS by paying a ransom.

But there has been no end to his pain. One of his daughters is still in Raqqa, but he has run out of money to purchase her freedom.

"We are no longer able to afford ransom," Haji continued. "I swear, I had to pay US $15,500 [to IS] to free my niece."

He mentioned that recently he got a call from Raqqa that one of his daughters have been found there. 

"IS is asking for $16,000 to free her. I can't pay that amount. I have no choice, but to give up."

Haji states what happened to his family is all because they were ethnically Kurds.

"We wish Kurdistan were a country before this happened to us [Ezidis]. This wouldn't have happened to us if Kurdistan was a country," he lamented.

Editing by Ava Homa

(Masoud Mohammed contributed to this report)