Yezidi refugees in Iraq waiting to be rescued

A cry for help from the outer north-west of Iraq has reached the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP): Within only a few days, the Islamist ISIS-fighters are supposed to have killed at least 300 Kurdish Yezidis and to have captured 500 Yezidi women. At least 200,000 members of the ancient religious community have fled from their main settlement areas in Sinjar to the surrounding mountainous regions. The STP fears that the Yezidis are facing a genocide, for the Islamists consider them to be "infidels" and "worshipers of the devil".

According to eyewitness reports, the refugees' situation is disastrous. With temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius during the day, they suffer from thirst – and from hunger, as they are without food. According to eyewitnesses, many of the people are at the end of their strength, especially the children."

Given the harrowing reports, it is not enough for the United Nations to condemn the recent occurrences in Sinjar," said Kamal Sido, the STP's Middle East consultant, in Göttingen on Thursday. Further, he warned: "Due to its charter, the UN is obliged to protect helpless and defenseless civilians from potential hazards. Now, this must have top priority. There is no doubt about the murderous plans of the ISIS-extremists who are trying to wipe out other faiths at all costs. Anyone who is unable to escape fast enough is either forced to convert to Islam, raped or killed."

Sido demanded immediate help for the refugees who are trapped in the mountains. They cannot escape on their own and should therefore at least be provided with basic aid supplies by means of an air bridge. In order to protect the civilians from murder and slaughter, a crisis team must be established immediately, to work out effective strategies to protect the civilian population.

Dr. Kamal Sido is available for further questions: +49551 499 06 18 or nahost@gfbv.de.

Header Photo: © GfbV/Daniel Matt