Brussels commemorates the 10th anniversary of the Islamic State atrocities and regrets the integration problems that the community still suffers from
Aug. 3 () –
The European Union on Saturday marked the 10th anniversary of the Yazidi genocide at the hands of Islamic State jihadists by calling on the United Nations fact-finding mission into the atrocities to renew a mandate due to expire in September this year.
On August 3, 2014, the jihadist organization launched an attack on the cradle of the Yazidi community in Iraq, the city of Sinjar, in the province of Nineveh, in the north of the country and on the border with Syria; an offensive that marked the beginning of a genocide whose exact figures are still unknown and which marked the beginning of a decade of suffering for a group that still does not know how to return home.
A 2017 study by the medical journal PLOS Medicine estimates that between 2,000 and 5,500 people were killed and more than 6,000 kidnapped during the first few days of an attack that sent more than 400,000 people fleeing, forced to leave their loved ones behind, half of whom were children forced into sexual slavery or use as combat tools by the jihadists.
After applauding the “achievements” of the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Islamic State (UNITAD), the EU “notes” that the mandate “is about to end and we call for continued efforts to ensure accountability for crimes committed by Islamic State.”
Brussels recalls that “the Yazidis are an ancient community that contributes to the diversity of the social and cultural fabric of Iraq” and, while “recognising the commitment of the Government of Iraq to protect and improve the situation of Yazidi survivors and recognising the efforts, including those of the Kurdish Regional Government”, warns that the Yazidi community continues to face significant challenges, including obstacles preventing displaced persons from returning to their homes”.
The European Union therefore “calls on the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government (Iraqi) to proceed with the implementation of the Sinjar Agreement” which regulates the return of displaced persons, “as this would improve living conditions in Sinjar and facilitate the return of internally displaced persons from the Yazidi community.”
Brussels also recalled its work in supporting the Yazidi community, particularly those leaving the camps for internally displaced persons, and “stressed the need to preserve evidence related to the Islamic State, which is important for EU Member States and for criminal investigations worldwide.”
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