Al-Zaidi Vows Justice for Ezidi Genocide Victims, Reaffirms State Monopoly on Arms
Iraqi Prime Minister links Sinjar anniversary with Arba'een values, pledges reconstruction, return of displaced families, and continued efforts to prevent future atrocities
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih Al-Zaidi on Monday renewed Baghdad's commitment to securing justice for the victims of the Ezidi genocide, rebuilding Sinjar (Shingal), and ensuring that weapons remain exclusively under state control, as Iraq marked the 12th anniversary of the Islamic State (ISIS) attack on the district.
In a statement issued on the anniversary of the Aug. 3, 2014, genocide, Al-Zaidi described the ISIS assault on the Ezidi community as "one of the most heinous crimes that shook the conscience of humanity."
Commemorating the victims of the massacre and other communities targeted by ISIS, the prime minister said genuine tribute to those who suffered requires translating remembrance into concrete action.
"We emphasize that true loyalty to the victims is achieved by realizing justice, revealing the fate of the abducted, caring for the survivors, reconstructing Sinjar, and ensuring the voluntary, safe, and dignified return of the displaced," Al-Zaidi said.
Thousands of Ezidis were killed, enslaved, or displaced after ISIS overran Sinjar in August 2014, with the atrocities later recognized by the United Nations and several countries as genocide.
Al-Zaidi noted that this year's anniversary coincides with the commemoration of Arba'een, one of the largest annual religious observances in the Shiite Muslim calendar, honoring Imam Hussain.
He said the convergence of the two occasions underscores enduring values of standing against oppression and supporting truth and peace.
The prime minister also paid tribute to Iraq's security forces, crediting them—alongside international partners—for defeating ISIS.
"We also recall the sacrifices of our security forces in all their branches—supported by brothers, friends, and the international coalition—in achieving victory over ISIS," he said.
Reaffirming his government's priorities, Al-Zaidi said the Iraqi state remains committed to safeguarding the rights of all citizens, strengthening national sovereignty, and preventing the conditions that allowed ISIS to emerge.
He pledged that the government would continue efforts to ensure "weapons remain exclusively in the hands of the State," combat corruption, and advance security, stability, development, and justice across the country.
The prime minister said these efforts are essential to preserving the dignity of all Iraqis and ensuring that atrocities such as the Sinjar genocide are never repeated.
ISIS seized Sinjar on Aug. 3, 2014, launching a brutal campaign against the Ezidi community that left thousands dead, abducted thousands of women and children, and forced tens of thousands to flee.
Although the extremist group was territorially defeated in Iraq in 2017, many Ezidis remain displaced, while hundreds of abductees are still missing and reconstruction efforts in Sinjar continue to face significant political and security challenges.