420,000 people were living in the region of Shengal, land of the Kurdish Yazidi community in southern Kurdistan, before it was attacked by the "Islamic State".

 

When ISIS attacked the region on August 3, 2014, thousands were murdered and around 6,000 people abducted. During the attacks, about 300,000 Yazidis were in direct danger to their lives.

 

Thousands of Yazidis were freed from ISIS operations in recent years by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). 2966 of them are still considered missing.

 

360,000 Yazidis fled

 

While the peshmerga of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) withdrew overnight, a small group of People's Defense Forces (HPG) defended the region and, in cooperation with the forces of the YPG and YPJ, allowed about 360,000 Yazidi people to flee. North Syria's self-government welcomed and hosted 125,000 Yazidi refugees at the Newroz camp near Dêrik. In addition, thousands of Yazidis settled with relatives in Tirbespiyê, Amûdê, Serêkaniyê and Hesekê.

 

1293 bodies found in mass graves

 

So far, 1293 corpses have been found in mass graves in Shengal, according to ANHA. Many of the mass graves were located by the HPG and the Shengal Resistance Units (YBŞ) after the ISIS had been expelled. Around 80 mass graves have been discovered in the Shengal region so far. 3548 Yazidi women and girls as well as 2869 men and boys were abducted by the ISIS. Many were sold on slave markets. 2561 children have lost their parents because of the ISIS.

 

3451 Yazidis freed

 

A total of 3451 Yazidis were freed from ISIS captivity during the SDF operations; including 1178 women, 337 men, 1010 girls and 926 boys. The fate of 2966 Yazidi people remains unclear.

 

The Yazidi Center in the Cizirê region has been able to ensure the official return of 491 Yazidis to their land after their liberation from ISIS.