On Tuesday, Iraqi Kurdistan’s ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) officials marked the ninth anniversary of the Yazidi Genocide perpetrated by the Islamic State (ISIS) in Sinjar (Shengal), while thousands of displaced Yazidis still remain unable to return to their homes.
The president of the Kurdistan Region, Nechirvan Barzani, recognised the dire situation facing the Yazidis in Sinjar, as he pleaded for the implementation of the 2020 Sinjar Agreement between Erbil and Baghdad.
The agreement limits military operations to Iraqi federal forces and calls for the withdrawal of other armed groups, including Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) fighters who helped liberate the town from ISIS, to restore security in the region.
“PKK forces and all foreign forces must leave the area. These forces have only brought disaster, instability and deepened the wounds of Sinjar and the Yazidis,” Barzani said.
The agreement, though not yet implemented, also gives the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) a role in establishing a new local authority and overseeing budgetary and rebuilding plans. However, since the attack in 2014, the Yazidis have formed powerful militias, established self-governing institutions and developed a new political identity that challenges the authority of both the KRG and the Iraqi government in the region.
Contrary to the views of Iraqi Kurdish officials, delegates from Sinjar, representing diverse communities including Yazidi, Arab, Christian, Turkmen, Sunni and Shia, have called for the 2020 Sinjar Agreement to be annulled. They argue that the agreement undermines the Yazidis’ ability to defend themselves, especially as Turkey continues to attack the town, specifically targeting pro-PKK Yazidi forces.
The lack of action on the Yazidi Genocide was also criticised by Bafel Talabani, the leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), the other ruling party in the Kurdistan region and a rival of the KDP.
He expressed concern, saying, “The Yazidis are now victims of political disputes, and their homeland of Sinjar remains in ruins after the war.” Talabani called on Baghdad to fulfil its humanitarian and legal obligations towards the Yazidis. This includes compensation and the reconstruction of Sinjar.
In the meantime, the KDP continue to be criticised and blamed for abandoning Sinjar on the eve of the ISIS assault, resulting in the massacre and kidnapping of thousands of Yazidis.
