KRG: 1,800 Peshmerga killed and thousands of Yazidis still missing after ISIS genocide
Shafaq News – Erbil
Nearly 2,000 Peshmerga fighters were killed in battles against ISIS as Kurdistan tried to rescue thousands of kidnapped Yazidis, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) reported on Monday.
Dindar Zebari, the coordinator for the Office of International Advocacy (OCIA), stressed in a statement that the atrocities committed by ISIS against the Yazidis in August 2014 represented “one of the most horrific examples of genocide in modern times.” He noted that the KRG adopted urgent measures to alleviate the suffering of Yazidis and other affected communities, ranging from humanitarian support to international advocacy.
Peshmerga Role And Sacrifices
Zebari highlighted that Peshmerga forces, working with the US-led coalition, played a decisive role in liberating Yazidi areas, particularly the district of Sinjar, and in opening safe corridors that allowed thousands of civilians to escape.
The Peshmerga, he underscored, paid “a high price:” 1,814 killed, 10,725 wounded, and 44 still missing.
Rescue Operations For Yazidi Captives
According to Zebari, ISIS kidnapped 6,417 Yazidis during its campaign. “So far, 3,590 have been rescued, while the fate of 2,827 remains unknown.”
More than 1,100 female survivors were transferred to Germany for treatment, particularly psychological care. Within Iraq, the KRG continues to provide protection, counseling, and vocational training for Yazidi women.
“In 2023 alone, more than 1,500 survivors received psychological support, health care, and job training, with 70% completing rehabilitation programs.”
Over 2,000 women, he added, have also benefited from economic empowerment initiatives and community reintegration programs.
Legal Action And Victim Documentation
Zebari indicated that the KRG has filed 2,991 legal cases and 3,290 complaints related to ISIS crimes. It has also registered 3,090 missing victims through investigation and evidence-gathering committees, including 1,222 women and 1,868 men.
“So far, 2,848 survivors have received psychological and social support, nearly two-thirds of them women.”
Mass Graves And Return Of Remains
He went on to explain that the first exhumations of mass graves in Sinjar began in 2019. Since then, 91 sites have been identified, 54 of which have been opened. Six graves are located in disputed territories outside the KRG’s administration. The remains of 360 people have been recovered.
“Through ongoing efforts, the remains of 318 Yazidis have been returned in eight stages, including 132 reburied at the Sinjar Martyrs Memorial and 186 in the villages of Kocho and Hardan,” Zebari noted.
Call For Justice
Zebari concluded that the absence of a legal framework defining ISIS crimes as international crimes remains one of the greatest challenges. “The Iraqi judiciary has yet to take the necessary legal course to punish the perpetrators and properly compensate the victims’ families,” he remarked.
