Shafaq News / The President of the Republic, Barham Salih, offered his condolences to the people of the Yazidi religion on the death of the spiritual father of the Yezidis, Baba Sheikh Khartu Haji Ismail.

A statement issued by the Presidency of the Republic, received by Shafaq News Agency, said, "It was with great pain and sadness that we received the news of the death of His Eminence Baba Sheikh Khartu Haji Ismail, the spiritual father of the Yazidi religion in Iraq and the world".

Saleh added, "On this painful occasion, we value the patriotic stances of the deceased in facing injustice and terrorism, his humanitarian stances and his wisdom in facing the crimes of ISIS against our people, brothers and sisters of the Yazidis".

He continued, "We also recall on this occasion the historical role and the clever patriarchal behavior of his eminence in the issue of Yazidi female survivors and alleviating the burdens on them, and conveying their voice to the international community, which in turn made it the focus of attention of the whole world, to become a symbol of tolerance, brotherhood and coexistence between sects".

Mir Jahour Ali, the undersecretary of the Emir of the Yazidis, told Shafaq News agency, that Baba Sheikh passed away in Sardam Hospital in Erbil at the age of 87 years.

He added that his body will be transported to his hometown in Sheikhan, Duhok Governorate, where it will be buried in a special religious ceremony.

Baba Sheikh, whose real name is Khartu Haji Ismail, is the supreme authority for all Yazidis in Iraq and the world and a member of the Spiritual Council of the Yazidi Religion.