Remains of 32 Ezidi Genocide Victims Buried in Sinjar

22.02.2025

The remains of 32 Ezidi genocide victims, massacred and buried in mass graves by ISIS in 2014, have been returned to Sinjar for burial.

According to human rights organizations and forensic authorities, the bodies were transferred from Mosul to the Sinjar district center and then taken to the Ezidi Genocide Memorial for a religious ceremony. Families of the victims had the opportunity to view their loved ones’ belongings before the burial took place.

Of the 32 recovered victims, 19 were from the village of Kojo, one of the locations that suffered the most brutal attacks by ISIS. The burial took place at the Kojo cemetery, where a formal ceremony was held in recognition of the suffering endured by the victims and their families.

The discovery and excavation of mass graves in Sinjar and surrounding areas continue. Search teams and forensic specialists are still uncovering new sites, with three additional graves currently being examined. Authorities report that 93 mass graves have been located so far, with 55 exhumed and 38 still awaiting excavation.

Since the process began, 750 bodies have been exhumed, but many have yet to be identified. Of these, 242 victims have been confirmed through forensic testing, while 508 remain under examination. The identification and repatriation of the victims highlight the continued efforts to document and bring justice for the atrocities committed against the Ezidi people.

In 2014, ISIS launched a large-scale attack on Sinjar, targeting the Ezidi population in what has been recognized as genocide. The extremist group was driven out of the area in 2015, and by 2017, the Iraqi government declared its defeat in Nineveh province. However, the scars of the genocide remain, with families still searching for their missing relatives and seeking accountability for the crimes committed against their people.