Quote: In 2014 with the territorial gains of the Sunni extremist militants known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) there was much upheaval in the Iraqi Yazidi population. In early August the town of Sinjar was nearly deserted as Kurdish Peshmerga forces were no longer able to keep ISIL from advancing. ISIL had previously declared the Yazidi to be devil worshippers and had taken the two nearby small oil fields and the town of Zumar as part of a plan to try and seize Mosuls hydroelectric dam.[40] In Sinjar, ISIL destroyed a Shiite shrine and demanded that the remaining population convert to their version of Islam, pay jizya (a religious tax) or be executed. Up to 200,000 people (including an estimated 40,000 Yazidi[41]) fled the city before it was captured by ISIL giving rise to fears of a humanitarian tragedy.[40] Alongside the local Yazidis fleeing Sinjar were Yazidis (and Shiites) who fled to the city a month earlier when ISIL captured the town of Tal Afar.[40] Most of the population fleeing Sinjar retreated by trekking up nearby mountains with the ultimate goal of reaching Dohuk in Iraqi Kurdistan (normally a five hour drive by car). Concerns for elderly and those of fragile health were expressed by the refugees who told reporters of their lack of water. Reports coming from Sinjar stated that sick or elderly Yazidi who could not make the trek were being executed by ISIL. Yazidi parliamentarian Haji Ghandour told reporters that In our history, we have suffered 72 massacres. We are worried Sinjar could be a 73rd.
Posted on: Thu, 07 Aug 2014 19:19:44 +0000
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