US urges Iraq and Kurdistan to implement Sinjar Agreement on 10th anniversary of Yazidi genocide
Shafaq News/ On Saturday, the US Department of State called on Baghdad and Erbil to implement the Sinjar Agreement, marking the 10th anniversary of the Yazidi genocide. The department reminded the federal government of the international community's support in "breaking ISIS's grip" in 2014.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement, "Today we remember the victims and honor the strength of the survivors of ISIS's genocide, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing against Yezidis, Christians, and Shia Muslims. We also remember the Sunni Muslims, Kurds, and other minorities who were victims of ISIS crimes."
Miller added that "ISIS killed and enslaved thousands of Yezidis. Over 2,600 Yezidi women and girls remain missing, and the identification and exhumation of mass graves continue. The survivors bear the painful scars of that experience to this day."
He emphasized that, "Our support to the communities that suffered this horrific tragedy is unwavering. It is incumbent upon us all to honor those we have lost and the brave survivors through action and a steadfast commitment to rebuild and restore these communities."
Miller also noted that "Justice, accountability, and political inclusion are essential to ensuring that we isolate and defeat violent extremists like ISIS once and for all." He urged "continued implementation of the Yezidi Survivors' Law and full application of the security, reconstruction, and administrative provisions of the 2020 Sinjar Agreement, in consultation with the communities that call Sinjar home."
The spokesperson highlighted that "ISIS tried to tear apart the fabric of Iraq's society through a violent campaign of hate and religious intolerance. The international community came together with Iraq to break ISIS's grip on northern Iraq and Syria and begin to rebuild the communities ISIS persecuted."
Miller concluded, "Today, a decade on from this horrific tragedy, Iraq has the opportunity to embark on a new path that leads to peace, stability, and prosperity for all of Iraq's diverse communities. In doing so, Iraq can serve as an example of religious and ethnic inclusion for the rest of the region."
On August 3, 2014, ISIS militants attacked the Sinjar district in western Nineveh, resulting in the deaths and injuries of numerous Yazidis, as well as their displacement and the destruction of their areas.
It is noted that Baghdad and Erbil reached an agreement on October 9, 2020, to normalize conditions in Sinjar, which included joint management of administrative, security, and service affairs. However, this agreement has not yet been effectively implemented due to political reasons, according to officials in the Kurdistan Region.
