Ezidi Times is honoured and happy to share with you this exclusive interview we have prepared with five amazing and inspiring Ezidi women. Thank you to Diana Kalashova, Natia Navrouzov, Amina Begoeva, Zemfira Dilovani, and Golian Ezdin. Thank you for making all Ezidis proud and being exceptional representation of the Ezidi people.
The Office of the Rescued Ezidi Prisoners has released the devastating statistics regarding the atrocities committed by ISIS against the Ezidi people on August 3, 2014. According to their report, over 5,000 Ezidis were killed, and 6,371 were abducted, with many still unaccounted for. These numbers only reflect those who have been identified; the fate of many more Ezidis remains unclear.
On March 3, 2025, 42 Ezidi families, displaced during the 2014 ISIS onslaught, returned to their homeland in Shengal after living for over a decade in Çem Mişko Camp in Duhok. The families, totaling 163 individuals, resettled in the Digur sub-district and the villages of Sêkêniye and Rembûsî. This marks another step in the ongoing process of repopulating Shengal, as many more families are expected to return in the coming days.
The Ezidi people, who suffered horrific violence at the hands of ISIS in 2014, feel ignored by the government. Many Ezidis do not trust Iraq’s army or the Kurdish forces, which failed to protect them during the ISIS attacks. A recent decision to return Sunni Arab displaced persons (IDPs) to Sinjar led to protests, as many Ezidis saw it as a reminder of their trauma and the government’s lack of understanding.
A 15-year-old Ezidi girl has revealed a disturbing plot by the PKK after escaping from the group. In her testimony, she explains that the PKK, facing difficulty recruiting young fighters, has resorted to abducting Ezidi children in Syria, forcing them into their ranks.
Event Details
• Location: Palazzo San Daniele, Polo del ‘900, Piazzetta Antonicelli, Turin
• Dates: March 1–22, 2025
Explore the ancient monotheistic religion of Sharfadin, its belief in a single God and seven Archangels, the Ezidi caste system, and the myths surrounding Tausi Malak. Learn about the core principles of Sharfadin and the truth behind common misconceptions.
Ezidis who fled Turkey’s Batman province in the 1990s due to conflict are facing new obstacles as they attempt to reclaim their ancestral land. Despite court rulings in their favor, their property in Kuşçukuru (Kelhok) village has yet to be returned.
A proposal has been introduced in the Italian Parliament calling for the recognition of the genocide committed against the Ezidi people by ISIS in 2014. The move comes after years of international debate and growing calls for justice for the Ezidis, who endured unspeakable atrocities at the hands of ISIS during their brutal assault on Shengal (Sinjar), Iraq.
The remains of 32 Ezidi genocide victims, massacred and buried in mass graves by ISIS in 2014, have been returned to Sinjar for burial.
Some so-called academics spread false information about Ezidis, repeating extremist ideas. Ezidi Times encourages readers to stay alert and help stop the spread of these harmful myths.
The prosecutor has appealed the Stockholm District Court’s verdict against Lina Ishaq, who was convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity, and serious war crimes committed against the Ezidi people. The appeal, filed on February 17, 2025, requests that the initial 12-year prison sentence be replaced with a life sentence due Read more…
A 39-year-old Syrian man is accused of having fought for the so-called Islamic State (IS) in his home country before fleeing to Europe. He is also suspected of having held Ezidi prisoners in his business. The defendant pleaded not guilty, and his lawyer, Michael Drexler, argued that the wrong person had been charged. The man arrived in Austria in 2019 and was granted asylum in 2020. According to his lawyer, authorities had thoroughly examined his background and found no evidence linking him to IS.
The Stockholm District Court has sentenced Lina Ishaq to 12 years in prison for genocide, crimes against humanity, and severe war crimes committed against Ezidi women and children in Raqqa, Syria, during 2014 and 2015. The case is part of broader international efforts to hold members of the Islamic State (IS) accountable for their systematic persecution of the Ezidi minority.
The UNHCR’s December 2024 report on its operations in Dohuk Governorate provides an overview of the humanitarian situation for refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the region. Dohuk remains a critical area for displaced populations, with over 281,000 IDPs and 92,000 refugees residing in the governorate. The Read more…
On January 29, 2025, activist Salwan Momika was killed in his home in Södertälje, Sweden. Momika was a Christian from Iraq who had fought against ISIS. In 2018, he moved to Sweden and quickly became well known for burning qurans. By doing so, Momika sought to express his opposition to Muslim extremists and perhaps also to raise awareness of the atrocities ISIS committed against the Ezidis and Christians in the Middle East.
It is very ironic when many Ezidis, who don’t have enough religious or academic knowledge, actively become involved in and a tool for extremist Kurdish propaganda. What is even more ironic is the fact that these “kurd-ezidis” harass and humiliate Ezidis who stay loyal to their heritage and the suffering of their ancestors. Instead of feeling ashamed of being fooled and becoming traitors to their own heritage, they become aggressive and
The Iraqi government, police, and military forces, and all citizens of Iraq were not able to prevent and protect the minorities of Iraq. They were also, for unclear reasons, unable to bring some belated justice by prosecuting known ISIS terrorists. Is Iraq really that weak? The Iraq that fought a war with Iran for 8 years? The Iraqi army, in which thousands of Ezidis have served, defended the borders, and lost their lives? What were the military forces in the region doing when ISIS members were traveling through the country in their Toyota cars while cowardly hiding behind their masks and waving their devilish black flag?
During his visit to Iraq from January 21 to 24, 2025, Minister of State Lindner focused on the country’s political transition and the situation of its minorities, especially the Ezidis. As Iraq approaches its upcoming elections, Lindner sought to evaluate progress in areas such as the return of internally displaced persons to their homes and efforts to investigate the crimes committed by ISIS.
As part of our ongoing commitment to keeping the Ezidi people informed, Ezidi Times would like to make our readers aware of organisation in Australia, namely the “Ezidi Youth Association in Australia” (EYAA).
The EYAA was founded by a group of dedicated young Ezidis with the goal of supporting and empowering the Ezidi people living in Australia. On October 16, 2024, the association marked a significant milestone for the Ezidis in Australia by becoming the first-ever incorporated Ezidi association in the country.