Yazidis celebrate festival at shrine reconstructed after ISIS destruction

SHINGAL, Iraq — Yazidis gathered over the weekend at the newly reopened holy shrine of Sheikh Mand on Mount Shingal to mark the two-day festival of Jamaya Sheikh Mand.

Prior to the Islamic State’s (ISIS) destruction of the shrine in 2014, many made an annual pilgrimage to the site, one of the ethno-religious group’s holiest. This was the first time in seven years the two-day festival took place at the shrine.

"This place is suitable for springtime festivities. It has a beautiful atmosphere. People stay here until the evening. This is the first time that this festival has been held here since 2014," Jalal Majeed, a festival-goer, said.

The holy shrine of Sheikh Mand was reopened two weeks ago with a special religious ceremony following its reconstruction.

"We are very happy that this Jamaya festival has brought us all together on Mount Shingal. Today we are here to celebrate Sheikh Mand Jamaya," Elham Khidhir, a student said.

Of 28 Yazidi shrines situated on Mount Shingal, eight of them were destroyed by ISIS. The bulk of the exploded shrines are located on the southern part of the mountain.

ISIS attacked the Yazidi heartland of Shingal in Nineveh province on August 3, 2014, killing and enslaving members of the ethno-religious group.

ISIS persecution of Yazidis has led to the exodus of an estimated 100,000 of Iraq’s 500,000 Yezidis, while another 360,000 remain internally displaced.

Translation by Zhelwan Zeyad Wali