Kurdistan Human Rights Commission Urges Baghdad to Implement Sinjar Agreement on Ezidi Genocide Anniversary
Independent body calls for security in Sinjar, return of displaced families, and renewed efforts to rescue more than 2,700 missing Ezidis
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The Independent Human Rights Commission in the Kurdistan Region on Monday called on Iraq's federal government to accelerate implementation of the Sinjar (Shingal) Agreement, strengthen security in the district, and intensify efforts to locate and rescue more than 2,700 Ezidis who remain missing, marking the 12th anniversary of the ISIS genocide against the Ezidi community.
In a statement issued on the anniversary of the Aug. 3, 2014, attack on Sinjar, the commission described the ISIS atrocities as one of the darkest chapters in the region's history, saying the tragedy continues to leave deep scars on the Ezidi community.
"Today, with heavy hearts, we commemorate the 12th anniversary of the genocide and mass killings of the Ezidis," the commission said. "That brutal crime demonstrated the extent to which those terrorist groups stood against humanity and peace, killing thousands of women and children and devastating the region."
The commission expressed concern that, despite the passage of 12 years, thousands of Ezidis continue to suffer the consequences of the genocide.
It noted that many Ezidis remain in captivity, while large numbers of displaced families have yet to return to their homes because of ongoing security and reconstruction challenges in Sinjar.
The commission urged the Iraqi federal government to provide lasting security and stability in the district and facilitate the voluntary return of displaced residents to their ancestral homeland.
It also called on Baghdad to expedite implementation of the Sinjar Agreement, signed with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), to improve security, governance, and reconstruction in the district.
"The federal government must accelerate implementation of the agreement on the security and reconstruction of Sinjar and provide compensation for the affected population," the statement said.
The commission stressed that the Sinjar tragedy must remain firmly in public memory while honoring the victims of the genocide.
It also called for renewed efforts to rescue the more than 2,700 Ezidis who remain missing, reunite them with their families, and continue international recognition of the atrocities as genocide.
According to the commission, ensuring accountability and advancing international recognition of the genocide remain key responsibilities of the Iraqi state.
"We hope every effort will be made to return and rescue those citizens who are still missing, whose number exceeds 2,700, reunite them with their families, and continue securing international recognition of this crime as genocide," the statement said.
The commission concluded by emphasizing that the Iraqi government bears the primary responsibility for pursuing these objectives through sustained and serious action.
ISIS overran Sinjar on Aug. 3, 2014, killing thousands of Ezidis, abducting women and children into slavery, and forcing tens of thousands to flee.
Although many survivors have since returned, thousands remain displaced, hundreds of mass graves have been uncovered, and more than 2,700 Ezidis are still missing, according to Kurdish and Iraqi authorities.