Leader Masoud Barzani calls for Sinjar Agreement implementation on genocide anniversary

Shafaq News/ On Saturday, Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani called for the implementation of the agreement between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the federal government to normalize the situation in Sinjar and end the "unlawful" status, emphasizing that the genocide against Yazidis represents a "deep wound" in the body of the Kurdish people.

In a message marking the tenth anniversary of the Sinjar genocide, Barzani stated, "The genocide in Sinjar and the crimes committed by ISIS terrorists ten years ago against our Yazidi brothers and sisters remain a deep wound in the body of the Kurdish people," Barzani said. "These crimes are merely a continuation of the historical massacres against the Kurdish people, as the Yazidis were targeted merely for being Kurds and for their religious beliefs."

On this solemn anniversary, Barzani paid tribute to "the martyrs and victims of these crimes and honored the Peshmerga fighters who sacrificed their lives to lift the siege of Mount Sinjar, liberate the city, and defend the Yazidis against ISIS while avenging their victims."

Barzani emphasized, "On this painful anniversary, we reaffirm our full support for the rights and demands of the Yazidis and the people of Sinjar. It is crucial to implement the agreement between the KRG and Baghdad to normalize the situation in Sinjar and end the unjust and abnormal conditions imposed on the region's residents for the past decade."

He added, "It is essential to stop the exploitation of Sinjar's suffering and tragedies for political gain that exacerbates the situation. The Yazidis must be allowed to return to their homes and regions with dignity and security."

On August 3, 2014, ISIS militants attacked Sinjar district in western Nineveh governorate, resulting in numerous Yazidi casualties, displacements, and destruction of their areas.

Furthermore, Baghdad and Erbil reached an agreement on October 9, 2020, to normalize the situation in Sinjar, stipulating joint administrative, security, and service management of the district. However, the agreement has not been fully implemented due to political reasons, according to officials in the Region.