The abrupt suspension of US aid to Iraq has left thousands of Ezidi genocide survivors stranded in displacement camps, stripped of vital mental health, protection, and humanitarian services.
The Ezidi people endured brutal attacks in 2014 when ISIS forcibly displaced them from their ancestral homeland in northern Iraq, killing and enslaving thousands. ISIS falsely accused the Ezidis—whose ancient religion, Sharfadin, has roots in Mesopotamia—of worshipping Satan. After the military defeat of ISIS, many Ezidis remained in United Nations camps for internally displaced persons, relying heavily on humanitarian assistance.
The Ezidi people, an ancient ethnic and religious group from northern Iraq, continue to face dire conditions in displacement camps years after ISIS attacks forced them from their homes. The reduction in funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has severely impacted reconstruction efforts, access to medical care, and essential services in camps where many Ezidis remain internally displaced.
Earlier this year, the United States dismantled its foreign aid agency, USAID, cutting billions of dollars in humanitarian and development support in Iraq. This decision has already left some of Iraq’s most vulnerable—like the Ezidi people of Sinjar—at risk of losing critical services essential to their survival and recovery.
Das diplomatische Komitee der Ezidischen Bewegung Freier Frauen (TAJÊ) hat einen dringenden Appell an den irakischen Präsidenten und zentrale internationale Organisationen gerichtet. Es fordert die Identifizierung von 19 ezidischen Frauen, die 2016 in Mossul von ISIS bei lebendigem Leib verbrannt wurden. Zudem verlangt die Bewegung, dass dieses Verbrechen offiziell als Femizid anerkannt wird.
The Diplomatic Committee of the Ezidi Free Women’s Movement (TAJÊ) has issued an urgent appeal to the Iraqi President and key international bodies, calling for the identification of 19 Ezidi women burned alive by ISIS in Mosul in 2016. The movement is also demanding that the atrocity be officially recognized as an act of feminicide.
Ezidis can learn the vital importance of preserving their sacred faith of Sharfadin. Justice and recognition require courage and unity—not just from within the Ezidi people but also through building solidarity with other ancient peoples facing similar struggles. Though the wounds run deep, hope remains in the power of cultural survival and the determination to secure a future where the Ezidis’ dignity, heritage, and rights are fully respected and protected.
Since the 2014 genocidal ISIS attack, the Ezidi people still face a devastating and existential crisis. Most of the focus has been directed towards the atrocities committed against the women, and unfortunately, the fate of the abducted Ezidi boys is rarely discussed. It is unclear why this horrendous part of the genocide campaign receives so little attention. Perhaps no one knows they are still alive. But one fact remains: these Ezidi boys have come to hate us — the Ezidis — because ISIS has indoctrinated them to do so.
Trial Against Couple Accused of Enslaving and Abusing Ezidi Children Under IS to Begin Tomorrow in Munich (München), Germany, for keeping two Ezidi girls aged five and twelve under the rule of the so-called Islamic State (IS). The crimes took place between 2015 and 2017 in Iraq and Syria. The charges include genocide, reflecting IS’s targeted campaign against the ancient Ezidi people, who follow the Sharfadin religion.
When Did the Ezidi Victims of Genocide Become Kurds? Rudaw and their active Kurdish propaganda is an insult to all journalists Since when did the women, children, and men who suffered through the horrors of the 2014 Ezidi genocide suddenly become “Kurds”? According to Kurdish media — especially Rudaw — Read more
The death of Pope Francis closes a deeply human chapter in the history of the Church. For the Ezidis, he will be remembered as a moral ally who gave voice to their suffering and stood with them on the international stage.
Murad Ismael, a prominent Ezidi activist and co-founder of the Sinjar Academy, is facing an arrest warrant issued by a court in the northern Iraqi province of Nineveh. The warrant follows his outspoken criticism of Iraq’s Minister of Migration, Evan Faeq Jabro, and the Ministry’s handling of the ongoing crisis faced by Ezidi internally displaced persons (IDPs).
At just 15 years old, Ikhlas Imran is emerging as one of the most promising young athletes in northern Iraq. Born in Qahtaniyah and raised amid the 2014 genocide, she has built her path through football—leading her team to win the first-ever women’s tournament in her hometown and finishing as Read more
In a landmark step toward long-overdue justice, over 15,000 Ezidis living in 11 settlements near Sinjar (Shingal) in Nineveh Province have begun receiving official title deeds to their homes. This unprecedented recognition follows decades of systematic denial and displacement stemming from the Ba’ath regime’s Arabization campaign in 1975.
A new Sky News documentary reveals the devastating reality that, ten years after the Ezidi genocide, many Ezidi women remain enslaved in ISIS detention camps. Titled 10 Years of Darkness: ISIS & The Ezidis, the documentary, led by Sky News special correspondent Alex Crawford, provides an in-depth look at the Read more
Mayada was only 11 when ISIS stormed her village, tearing her from her family and selling her into slavery. For three years, she endured relentless abuse, passed from one captor to another like a commodity. Yet, despite the horror, she never lost hope. After five failed escape attempts, she finally broke free, navigating landmine-ridden terrain to reach safety. Now, years later, she is not just a survivor—she is a voice for justice, determined to fight for those still in captivity.
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.
Ezidi Times, çevrimiçi nefretten daha da kötüsüne rastladı: kendilerini bazen araştırmacı, profesör ve akademik doktor olarak tanıtanların, Ezidiler hakkında son derece kötü ve bilimsel olmayan makaleler yayımlamaları. Yanlış bilgi, yeni bir şey olmasa da, bazı “araştırmacıların” iddialarının saçmalığı ve son derece güvenilmez kaynakları nedeniyle dikkat edilmesi gereken bir konu haline gelmiştir.
Et forslag er blevet fremsat i det italienske parlament, der kræver anerkendelse af folkedrabet begået mod det ezidiske folk af ISIS i 2014. Initiativet kommer efter flere års international debat og stigende krav om retfærdighed for ezidierne, som blev udsat for ubeskrivelige grusomheder under ISIS’ brutale angreb på Shengal (Sinjar) i Irak.
Ett förslag har lagts fram i det italienska parlamentet som kräver erkännande av folkmordet som begicks mot det ezidiska folket av ISIS år 2014. Initiativet kommer efter flera års internationell debatt och ökande krav på rättvisa för ezidierna, som utsattes för obeskrivliga grymheter under ISIS:s brutala angrepp på Shengal (Sinjar) i Irak.