Iraqi Premier stresses the importance of protecting Yezidi rights

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani, the Prime Minister of Iraq, on Saturday met with Mir Hazim Tahsin Beg, the leader of the Yezidis in Iraq and the world, and Ali Elias Haji Nasir, the Yezidi spiritual leader, also known as Baba Sheikh, in Mosul, according to a statement.

The Iraqi Prime Minister reiterated his government's commitment to support the Yazidis and other minorities in Iraq, according to a statement from the Iraqi Premier’s office.

Sudani stressed the importance of protecting Yezidi rights and rehabilitating their areas by establishing service and economic projects within the government’s program. He also pledged to facilitate the return of the displaced Yazidi families to their homes.

There are approximately 500,000 Yazidis living in Iraq. More than 70%, or 360,000, of them, are still residing in camps in the Kurdistan region, according to figures released by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Another 100,000 Yezidis live outside Iraq.

Thousands of Yezidi women were sexually enslaved by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which was defeated in 2017 by Kurdish and Iraqi forces, with the support of the US-led coalition.

The Kurdish-Kurmanji-speaking community has suffered at least 72 genocides.

European countries, including Germany, have hosted a significant number of Yezidis fleeing violence. Nearly 10,000 Yezidis were killed or kidnapped by ISIS.

The United Nations later recognized the atrocities against the Yazidi people as genocide.

More than 3,500 Yezidis have been rescued so far, according to the KRG.