SHINGAL, Kurdistan Region--More than eight months after its liberation from the Islamic State (ISIS), the Kurdish Yezidi town of Shingal still remains deserted. Only a handful of its population has returned seven months after its liberation.
Of nearly 8,500 families who lived here before the ISIS takeover of 2014. Only 20 families have returned to restart their lives, lack of services being the main reason prohibiting their return.
Most families are eager to come home and reclaim the town but lack of public services has not made a homecoming possible.
"Water and electricity are important, but this is our country, our honor, so they must come back with or without water or electricity," a Yezidi man, who recently returned to the town with his wife and children, told Rudaw.
Massive destruction of homes, shops, government buildings and streets during the year-and-a-half of ISIS occupation and counterattacks to expel the group is another reason for the slow return of life to this town.
One of the handfuls of families who returned recently now lives under a tent with their four children next to the rubble of what was once their home.
"They (ISIS) demolished our home and now we have to live under this tent," the mother said. "We have not received any help or assistance. We will be really grateful if they rebuild our home for us."
According to the mayor of Shingal, 80 percent of the town was destroyed in the war and now there are proposals for either rebuilding the old town or leaving it as a symbol of ISIS destruction and building a new one from the foundation up. Neither proposal has been approved or begun yet.
"Shingal is badly destroyed and paid a price in this war because the majority of its population is Yezidis and Kurds," said the mayor.
The town itself now looks more like a giant military base with Peshmerga soldiers shuttling to and fro and maintaining bases for its protection.
Furthermore Shingal city is close to villages which ISIS still occupy, another factor that is discouraging most Yezidis from returning to their former homes.
Of nearly 8,500 families who lived here before the ISIS takeover of 2014. Only 20 families have returned to restart their lives, lack of services being the main reason prohibiting their return.
Most families are eager to come home and reclaim the town but lack of public services has not made a homecoming possible.
"Water and electricity are important, but this is our country, our honor, so they must come back with or without water or electricity," a Yezidi man, who recently returned to the town with his wife and children, told Rudaw.
Massive destruction of homes, shops, government buildings and streets during the year-and-a-half of ISIS occupation and counterattacks to expel the group is another reason for the slow return of life to this town.
One of the handfuls of families who returned recently now lives under a tent with their four children next to the rubble of what was once their home.
"They (ISIS) demolished our home and now we have to live under this tent," the mother said. "We have not received any help or assistance. We will be really grateful if they rebuild our home for us."
According to the mayor of Shingal, 80 percent of the town was destroyed in the war and now there are proposals for either rebuilding the old town or leaving it as a symbol of ISIS destruction and building a new one from the foundation up. Neither proposal has been approved or begun yet.
"Shingal is badly destroyed and paid a price in this war because the majority of its population is Yezidis and Kurds," said the mayor.
The town itself now looks more like a giant military base with Peshmerga soldiers shuttling to and fro and maintaining bases for its protection.
Furthermore Shingal city is close to villages which ISIS still occupy, another factor that is discouraging most Yezidis from returning to their former homes.
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