News Center- The Yazidi Free Women’s Movement (TAJÊ) has released a statement to mark the 8th anniversary of the Yazidi genocide, committed by ISIS on August 3, 2014. “ISIS committed a crime against humanity in Shengal on August 3, 2014. Before the attacks of ISIS, there were thousands of Iraqi forces and KDP Peshmerga members but they fled from Shengal before the people. This betrayal of the KDP shows that it had a role in this genocide and is guilty. This inhuman and unethical betrayal will never be forgotten.”

“Shengal was liberated by paying a heavy price”

 Noting that the Yazidism and the culture of the Yazidis were targeted in the brutal attacks of ISIS, the statement said:

“The Yazidi community experienced a serious trauma. The victims of the genocide were mostly women and children. Thousands of women were killed, thousands were abducted by ISIS and dozens of women killed themselves by jumping off cliffs not to be held captive by ISIS. Thousands of people had to leave their houses and thousands of the people are still missing. The guerrillas of leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan) came to Shengal and they liberated Shengal along with the YPG fighters by paying a heavy price. As the Yazidi people, particularly Yazidi women, we will never forget this reality. We owe a debt of gratitude to leader Apo and our martyrs, their cause is our cause. As the TAJÊ, we promise to stand by leader Apo and our martyrs.

“We will strength our struggle”

“In this century when many serious attacks have been carried out against the human values, societies may face genocides if they do not protect themselves. For this reason, as Yazidi people, particularly Yazidi women, we will strengthen our struggle more in all spheres of life. Since the genocide committed against the Yazidi community in 2014, the KDP and the Turkish state have used many methods to depopulate Shengal. As the TAJÊ, we announce that our most powerful weapon is our self-defense. We will frustrate all dirty plans and never allow another genocide to be committed against us.

“We will build the autonomy of Shengal”

“Every flower has its own root. We call on the Yazidi people, who live in camps of Southern Kurdistan and European countries, to return to their lands and roots. Undoubtedly, our anger and pain is still fresh. We haven’t forgotten our pain even a day for seven years. We will strengthen our struggle to rescue all women and children being held captive by ISIS. We will build the autonomy of Shengal with our organizational strength and determination.”