US thanks President Barzani for his leadership in advocating for Yazidi rights

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - US Consulate General in Erbil on Thursday thanked Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani for his leadership in the campaign to advocate for the rights of Yazidis who survived the atrocities of the Islamic State group (ISIS). This coincides with the ninth anniversary of the genocide of the ethnoreligious group by ISIS. 

ISIS overran the Yazidi heartland of Shingal in August 2014 and committed atrocities including genocide against the group. The terror group abducted 6,417 Yazidis, including 3,548 women and girls. So far, 3,570 of them have been rescued, according to the latest data obtained by Rudaw English from the office to rescue the missing Yazidis, affiliated with the Kurdistan Region Presidency.

“Thank you @IKRPresident Nechirvan Barzani for your support of the Yezidi people and for your leadership in advocating for justice and accountability for Yezidi survivors,” said the US Consulate General in a post on X platform, formerly known as Twitter.  

“Yezidis are an important part of the diverse fabric of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, and tolerance and mutual understanding will lead to a more peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous #IKR [Iraqi Kurdistan Region],” it added. 

During an event commemorating the ninth anniversary of the Yazidi genocide at the hands of ISIS, President Barzani, UNAMI chief, and several diplomatic envoys to Erbil stressed the need to normalize the security situation in Shingal in hopes of securing a dignified return for members of the religious minority.

"No one would have believed in the 21st century that such a heinous crime against humanity would be committed," said President Barzani in a keynote speech at the event, calling the ISIS atrocities against the Yazidi community an “unparalleled crime of the time.”

President Barzani established the Yazidi rescue office in 2014 to find and return the missing Yazidi women and children, which he promised will continue working tirelessly until every last missing Yazidi is found.

"As long as there is one missing Yazidi left, this genocide is not over," he added.

Matthew Miller, US State Department Spokesperson, said in a statement on Thursday that Washington’s “support” for Yazidis is “unwavering.” 

“The scars of that experience are borne by Yezidis around the world to this day,” he added.

He called for the “full implementation” of a 2020 agreement between Erbil and Baghdad to normalize the situation in Shingal.