22 Ezidi Victims Returned to Sinjar for Burial

Sinjar, Iraq — 12 August 2025 — The remains of 22 Ezidi victims of ISIS were returned to Sinjar for burial, following identification through DNA testing in Baghdad. This is the seventh official handover of remains since the process began in 2021.

The victims, including men, women, and children, were from multiple villages across Sinjar, including Kocho, Tel Uzair, Qini, Solagh, Hamdan, Hardan, and other areas.

At least 93 mass graves of Ezidi victims have been discovered in Sinjar. Of these, 55 graves have been exhumed, while 38 remain untouched. From the excavated graves, over 750 sets of remains have been recovered, but only 274 have been identified and returned to families.

Authorities and human rights organizations continue to coordinate the identification and handover process, aiming to enable families to bury their relatives according to Ezidi tradition and the faith of Sharfadin.

The process remains slow and complex, reflecting the scale of the atrocities committed during ISIS’s 2014 assault on Sinjar and the ongoing challenge of locating and identifying the remaining victims.