Thousands of ISIS detainees, including suspects accused of genocide and other atrocities against Ezidis, have been transferred from Syria to Iraq as investigations and legal proceedings begin. The move could mark a significant step toward accountability for crimes committed during ISIS rule in Iraq.
Nadia Murad met with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola in a discussion reinforcing international attention on accountability for the 2014 genocide against Ezidis in Iraq. A survivor of the genocide, Murad has spent the past decade advocating for justice, recognition, and protection for survivors of sexual violence in conflict. The meeting highlights continued engagement between European institutions and global advocates working to ensure that crimes committed against Ezidis and their Sharfadin faith remain recognised and addressed at the international level.
The Ezidis know the consequences of ignored warnings. Ongoing instability in the region, particularly in Sinjar, has renewed serious concerns about safety and protection for a people who have already survived genocide. The conditions that enabled the atrocities of August 3, 2014, have not been fully resolved, leaving Ezidis vulnerable to renewed threats. Protecting Ezidis today is essential not only to acknowledge past crimes, but to prevent history from repeating itself.
Recent military developments along the Syrian-Iraqi border have drawn significant attention in Sinjar, an area that remains deeply marked by the events of 2014. The arrival and positioning of forces aligned with the Syrian state near the border has prompted heightened alert among local defense groups and residents, reflecting longstanding fears shaped by past violence against Ezidis.
Trust between neighbors can be as fragile as it is sacred. In northern Iraq, lifelong bonds between Ezidi families and their Arab neighbors unraveled in the face of ISIS violence. What once was a relationship built on shared meals, trade, and mutual support turned into fear and pursuit, forcing families to flee overnight. Stories like these reveal not only the brutality of violence, but also the deep emotional wounds left when trust is broken by those once considered friends.
The Hasna A. case returns to court in the Netherlands after the defendant appealed the first verdict.From 9–12 February 2026, judges at the Schiphol Judicial Complex will review the case, which addresses ISIS crimes committed against Ezidis.
The hearings are public and will be livestreamed, with translation available.
An Ezidi girl has been recognised at the Coffs Harbour Australian Citizen of the Year Awards 2026. Mayada Oso, who arrived in Australia in 2018 after surviving the Ezidi genocide, received the Young Citizen of the Year award for her achievements in education and her work supporting students. Her journey from captivity to leadership and service reflects the resilience of Ezidis and their continued strength after genocide.
Bangladesh’s 1971 genocide remains largely unrecognized internationally, despite clear evidence of mass killings, sexual violence, and attacks on intellectuals. This analysis examines the events through international criminal law, highlighting the urgent need for recognition, justice, and remembrance—lessons that resonate deeply with Ezidis and all peoples who have endured systematic persecution.
Senior officials of Armenia’s National Assembly held a series of meetings on January 26 addressing foreign policy priorities and the...
Historian Dr Rebecca Jinks has dedicated recent years to documenting the lived experiences of Ezidi women who survived ISIS captivity...
A new Russian-language book, Ezidi Folk Tales, opens a window into the rich culture and traditions of the Ezidi people. Published by Mesopotamia under the leadership of Samvel Saidovich Mstoyan, with illustrations by Aida Mstoyan, the collection brings centuries-old stories and values to life, introducing Russian children to the history, customs, and worldview of one of the world’s oldest peoples.
Ezidis did not choose to live in camps, and they certainly did not choose to become targets of ISIS in 2014. With the current and evident attempts to force Ezidis out, the question arises: where are these families supposed to settle? Are they expected to return to Shingal, to homes that remain in ruins and for which the Iraqi government has allocated no funds for reconstruction? Where should Ezidis seek refuge and rebuild their lives without risking becoming targets of ISIS or other extremists hiding behind the false mask of harmless neighbors?
Germany has successfully prosecuted ISIS members for crimes against humanity against Yazidis, including murder, torture, rape, and enslavement. Trials, starting in 2019–2020, relied on Yazidi survivor testimony, police and NGO reports, and expert evidence on Yazidi culture and ISIS structures. Despite challenges such as re-traumatization of witnesses and language barriers, courts deemed the testimony credible, leading to multiple convictions. International cooperation proved essential at every step, highlighting the importance of global accountability mechanisms.
Ezidi Times is happy to start 2026 with an exclusive interview with the Ezidi artist SELODEUXSEPT.We would like to begin...
Aleppo’s 5,000 Ezidis are trapped under siege in Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafieh, and al-Suryan, facing electricity outages, medicine shortages, and forced displacement. Nearly 1,200 families have already fled, while thousands remain at risk. Ezidi Times calls on Germany and the international community to act immediately and ensure the newly de facto Syrian government protects Ezidis.
Ezidis in Khanke and Sharia fear that recent land allocations to non-Ezidis could slowly change the demographic makeup of these historic Ezidi areas, threatening their identity, culture, and ancestral lands.
Haje Bakoyan is a leading Ezidi activist in Armenia working to expand educational and social opportunities for Ezidi women and girls. As the director of Shams Humanitarian NGO, she addresses challenges such as early marriage, limited access to education, economic exclusion, and lack of self-confidence among Ezidi girls. Her work is grounded in the belief that lasting change can occur without abandoning Ezidi traditions or the faith of Sharfadin, by strengthening families, promoting education, and creating space for women to participate fully in social and economic life.
Kurdish Peshmerga disarmed and trapped civilians, cooperated with ISIS fighters, and left Sinjar defenseless in 2014. From the 2007 bombings to the post-genocide occupation, the destruction of the Ezidis was not ISIS alone—it was systematically enabled by those claiming to protect them.
Fires tore through two Ezidi displacement camps near Zakho, destroying dozens of shops and several tents and leaving hundreds of families without their only source of income. More than eleven years after the Ezidi genocide, repeated camp fires once again expose unsafe living conditions, lack of protection, and the continued failure to ensure dignified, voluntary return for displaced Ezidis.
In 2023, Ezidi Times published an article raising concerns about a Kurdish singer using Ezidi traditional clothing in a music video and presenting it as “Kurdish.”
The video shows women in Ezidi attire dancing with weapons, portraying a peaceful and sacred culture in a violent, distorted way — and even attempts to include Ezidis under an artificially constructed “Kurdish” identity.
This is more than cultural appropriation — it is cultural and identity theft happening right before our eyes. The problem still remains and deserves far more attention. The article explores why this matters and is a big issue.
