Lebanon--The twelifth anniversary of the Shingal massacre brings renewed attention to one of the most heinous crimes committed against the Yazidis,as Kurds and free people worldwide recall the attack carried out by ISIS in 2014 and its affermath of victims,missing persons,and onging suffering that continues to this day,.

On the occasion of the 12th anniversary of the Shingal massacre,the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and the Star Congress in Lebanon issued a joint statement today, August 3,stating : "On August 3 of each year, the Kurdish people and free people worldwide recall the painfull anniversary of the Shingal massacre, which began on August 3,2014,when the Yazidi people were subjected to a brutal attack by ISIS--one of the most heinous crimes of the twenty-first century,classified by international bofies as genocide against the Yazidis."

In commemorating this anniversary,the Democratic Union Party and Star Congress affirmed that they bow in reverence and honor to the souls of the martyrs,and recall with profound sorrow the thousands of victims, abductees,and missing persons,and the thousands who were forced to flee and leave their homes,as the effects fo that crime continue to this day with hundreds still missing and the ongoing suffering of survivors.

The statement noted that Yazidi women were the primary target of the ISIS attack on Shingal, subjected to systematic and unprecedented violations including killing, abduction, sexual slavery, rape, forced marriage, human trafficking, sale in slave markets, as well as forced displacement and separation of family members. These crimes aimed to destroy Yazidi society and target its identity and existence, using women and girls as instruments of terror and genocide.

The statement explained that decisions and reports issued by the United Nations and relevant international organizations affirm that what was committed against the Yazidis—particularly women and girls—constitutes genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes under international law. Despite the passage of years since this tragedy, the suffering of survivors continues, and the fate of a number of abductees remains unknown, necessitating increased international efforts to reveal their fate, hold all those responsible for these crimes accountable, provide comprehensive support to survivors, and ensure no impunity.

The statement affirmed that the Yazidi woman has become a global symbol of resilience and resistance against terrorism, and her cause will remain a living testament to the necessity of protecting women in conflict zones, strengthening transitional justice, safeguarding human dignity, and preventing the recurrence of such crimes against any people or component in the world.

The statement emphasized that what happened in Shingal was not a transient crime, but a direct consequence of policies of failure to protect civilians and the spread of extremist ideology and terrorism. This imposes upon the international community, the Iraqi government, and the authorities of the Kurdistan Region the responsibility to fulfill their legal and moral obligations to ensure that such crimes are not repeated, to work seriously on completing files of justice and accountability, to reveal the fate of all abductees and missing persons, to rebuild Shingal, and to provide the necessary conditions for the return of its residents to their homes in safety and dignity. "We affirm that the Shingal cause is not only the cause of the Yazidi people, but a humanitarian and national cause that touches the global conscience, requiring a firm international stance to protect religious and ethnic minorities, confront terrorism and extremism in all their forms, and entrench the principles of justice and human rights."

The Democratic Union Party and the Star Congress in Lebanon renewed their full solidarity with the people of Shingal:we affirm that fidelity to the sacrifices of the victims requires continuing to work for truth,justice and full recognition of the genocide,accpuntability for all  those resposible,and ensuring a secure future of peace,dignity,and coexistence,Glory and immortality to the martyrs of Shingal,freedom for all abductees,and juctice for all victims.