DUHOK, Kurdistan Region — August 3rd marks the 10th anniversary of the brutal Sinjar genocide, yet the Yazidis continue to struggle as the lack of reconstruction of their hometowns has hampered their return. The community, devastated by ISIS attacks, faces persistent challenges as they attempt to rebuild their lives.
Khero Murad Hussein, a resident of Sharia Camp in Duhok, has been displaced for a decade. He longs to return to Sinjar, but the utter devastation of his hometown remains a significant barrier. “We were supposed to return last year, but financial constraints prevented us from returning and rebuilding our completely destroyed house,” Hussein explained.
Hussein’s story is mirrored by many other IDPs who have lost everything. Amr Eido, another Sinjar displaced victim, shared his deep grief: “Honestly, we have no desire to move and return, as our house is completely destroyed, how am I supposed to return to my hometown?”
A decade after their genocide, Yazidi displaced people still suffer due to the lack of reconstruction in Sinjar, preventing their return to destroyed homes.
Reporting by Hejin Fetah pic.twitter.com/x1HCxkG0mb
— Zoom News (@zoomnewskrd) August 3, 2024
According to the Directorate of Migration and Crisis Response in Duhok, over 400,000 people have been displaced from Sinjar due to ISIS attacks. The fate of 2,000 individuals remains unknown. Despite the return of nearly 2,000 families to their homes in recent months, many Yazidis are unable to return due to the ongoing destruction of their communities.
Dayan Jaafar, Director of the Directorate of Migration and Crisis Response, highlighted the continued plight of the Yazidi community. “The genocide still continues. Despite the mass killing conducted by the ISIS terrorist organization on Sinjar residents, who detained and enslaved nearly 6,417 individuals,” Jaafar told Zoom News.
He also added that Over 2,000 of them remain in ISIS hands and captivity, with their fate still unknown.
The Kurdistan Region continues to house 15 IDP camps, primarily in Duhok province and Zakho district, with over 23,500 families residing in them. Meanwhile, 35,000 families, totaling approximately 300,000 individuals, live both inside and outside these camps, struggling to rebuild their lives amidst the ongoing crisis.
Reporting by Hejin Fetah, Zoom News reproter in Duhok.
