Iraqi Government vows justice for Yazidis survivors

Shafaq News/ Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani extended his congratulations to the Yazidi community ahead of their New Year celebrations on Wednesday, reaffirming the government's commitment to justice and long-term support for the minority group.

In an official statement, Al-Sudani described the occasion as a reflection of Iraq’s “cultural and ethnic richness,” and vowed that his government would continue working to ensure equality for all Iraqis.

“The Yazidi community suffered from the denial of their rights under the former dictatorial regime and endured unimaginable crimes at the hands of ISIS,” the prime minister said, referencing the 2014 genocide in which thousands of Yazidis were killed, abducted, or enslaved by the extremist group in northern Iraq.

Tens of thousands were displaced during the Islamic State’s occupation of Sinjar, the Yazidi heartland. The United Nations later recognized the atrocities as genocide. Years after the town was retaken, mass graves are still being uncovered.

Al-Sudani highlighted recent steps his government has taken to redress these crimes, including issuing long-delayed residential land deeds, rebuilding Yazidi-majority towns and religious sites, reopening local government branches in Sinjar, and enforcing the Yazidi Survivors Law, which provides reparations and assistance to survivors of ISIS crimes.

“These efforts reaffirm our unwavering commitment to protecting the dignity and rights of all Iraqis,” Al-Sudani said.