In defence of Ezidis against ISIS: Shengal turned to be Kurdish Jerusalem

ISIS offensives attacks against Kurdish Ezidis on 3rd of August in Shengal (Sinjar) district saw broad regional and global media coverage. The brutality exercised by the ISIS groups against Kurdish Ezidis and other ethnic religious and minority groups raised international community’s concern about the perpetuation of genocide by the ISIS against Kurdish Ezidis. Without doubt, Kurdish Ezidis are prone to genocide and ethnic cleansing by the ISIS, and recent ISIS attack on Ezidis is self-evidence. As a result of the brutality and savageness of the ISIS, the International Community and the UN Security Council expressed its concern on the first day of the ISIS’s offensive attacks against Ezidis.

Fearing of their lives, Kurdish Ezidis escaped to the mountains near by Shengal, once the regional government forces mainly under the  by the Kurdistan Democratic Party/ KDP control withdrew, ISIS groups entered the region without facing a resistance from the KDP forces. Once the ISIS controlled Shengal and the mountains in a matter of few hours, they asked Kurdish Ezidis to choose between death and conversion to Islam. The recent ISIS attacks must be viewed in abroader context. Since the foundation of Islam up to day both sects of Islam, Sunni and Shia in a different of times have issued 73 decrees against Kurdish Ezidis with the aim to destruct them totally. ISIS recent attacks on civilians including men, women, elderly, and children come within the same context. On early hours of 3rd of August, ISIS controlled whole the roads leading to the top of the mountains with the aim to deprive hidden people in the mountain from receiving food and supports and starve them to death.

However, Kurdish forces known as HPG (People’s Defence Force), YJA Star (Women’s Guerrilla Army), YPG (People’s Protection Units), YPJ (Women’s Protection Units), peoples protection forces and peoples defence unites, interfered and fought back ISIS’s forces. Eye witnesses among the civilians who fled the Shengal to the mountains stated that if Kurdish Guerrillas (HPG-YJA Star and YPG-YPJ forces) have not interfered ISIS would have killed most of the civilians.

According to our sources people’s defence forces still fighting ISIS’s forces in different fronts around Shengal, Makhmur (Maxmur) and Kirkuk. And also peoples defences forces and Peshmerga (armed forces of KRG) have announced that two districts which were controlled by the ISIS’s forces has been re-controlled.

Voices agains the ISIS terrorist attacks on Shengal:

Joseph Thomas Christian bishop in an interview with France press on 5th of August stated that ISIS terrorists group controlled a Christian town of Karakush as a result of withdrawal of the Peshmerga forces from the town.

A Kurdish politician and member of the TEV-DEM who himself is a Kurdish Ezidi from Afrin, in a TV Satellite Channel stated that: Shengal is a strategic town boarder with the city of Hasaka in ROJAVA. Losing control over Shengal will results in catastrophe and chaos for all the Kurds. He said that it should not be forgotten that Shengal is the centre of the Ezidi Kurds and ISIS by attacking Shengal planning to evacuate Kurds from the region and eliminate all Kurdish Ezidi values in the region. he continued by stating that if ISIS takes over Shengal Kurds in Heseke, Cizire, Dihok, Hewler, Kerkuk, Saaedia (Seidiye) and Celewla (Jalaula) will be faced with serious and continuous threat from the ISIS. Prior to the ISIS attacks on Shengal our Peoples Unite Forces, YPG-YPJ and Kurdistan Worker Party’s forces known as HPG-YJA Star  asked KDP to allow them to defend the region which were prone to threat. However, KDP has refused our demand. Now our forces are in full control of Al-Rabia and working hard to re-control Shengal and evacuate the region from ISIS’s terrorist group.

On 6 August a group of journalists, Human Rights advocates, lawyers and politicians organized a campaign in the city of Sine (Sanandaj) in Rojhelat in support of Kobani and Shengal. The campaign committee condemned the crimes in Kobani, Shengal and Ghaza in Palestine.

In addition to that, Kurdish political prisoners in Urmiye prison issued an statement and condemned ISIS savage and brutal attacks on Kurdish Ezidis and at the same time honoured the Kurdish resistance against ISIS in Shengal and demanded Kurdish political parties, intellectuals, activists and NGO’s in all parts of Kurdistan to form a united front against the ISIS in defence of the homeland Kurdistan and Kurdish people.

Moreover, the representative of the Sine and Kamyaran in Iranian Assembly has officially asked the Iranian Red Crescent to supply the Kurdish Ezidis who fled the battlefield the basic requirements of daily life.

On 5th of August the Head of the Free and Democratic Society of Eastern Kurdistan (KODAR) stated that their forces are prepared and ready to take defensive actions against ISIS and defend Kurdish people. He continued by stating that the terrorist attacks by ISIS on Shengal or any attacks on Kurds by any groups is an attack on whole the Kurds on all parts of Kurdistan. While strongly condemning the terrorist attacks, as it was stated, Kurdish people in Eastern Kurdistan will take all necessary steps and consider all available means in their possession to be used in defence of the Kurds in Shengal.

In a statement, during the funeral held for the Journalist who was killed by the ISIS forces while she was reporting and covering the fights between Kurdish forces and ISIS terrorist group, the co-chair of the Democratic society of Kurdistan stated that, if Kurds form a united defence forces they could defeat ISIS forces and inflict upon them heavy damage. The Co-Chair also stated that Kurdish Youth in all parts of Kurdistan must join the Kurdish forces and fight ISIS in defence of the Kurdish people and Kurdistan.

In a joint statement by Eastern Kurdistan Youth Society (KCR) and Free Women Society of Eastern Kurdistan (KJAR) strongly condemned the terrorist attacks on Shengal and demanded formation national defence forces including forces of all parts of Kurdistan. By the same token they have asked the Kurdish youth, men and women, in this specific period of time to join Kurdish military forces and defend their legitimate and legal rights by fighting ISIS and other terrorist groups in Shengal, ROJAVA and Southern Kurdistan.

Condemnation of ISIS mass killings of the Kurdish Ezidis by the International Community:

One the same day when the ISIS took over the Shengal, Kurdish people all over the world organized several gatherings in protest of the ISIS mass killings of the Kurdish Ezidis, particularly in USA, Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Germany, UK, Denmark, Holland, France, Russia, Austria and Italy. At the same time Kurds all over the world organized a campaign to support Ezidis whom fled their homes and provided shelters to those who managed to reach cities and town. Kurds have criticised the international community for its failure to provide the necessary basic needs of the fled people and demanded the UN and Western countries to take all necessary measures to prevent perpetuation of genocide against the Ezidis by the ISIS.

German MPs from varies political parties announced their support for the Ezidi Kurds in Shengal.

Ahmad Turk very well known Kurdish politician and Mardin Councillor and co-chair of the Democratic Society Congress (KCD) described ISIS as a threat to the peace and security of the region and their existence in Syria and Iraq pose a serious threat to the Kurdish achievements and their future. Therefore, he demanded all Kurdish political parties to unite against ISIS. While he expressed their willingness to support Ezidis and send necessary requirements to the camps where the fled Ezidis have been stationed, he strongly condemned Recep Teyp Ordogan’s policies and said those who are speaking about the friendship of Kurds and Turks should not accept the suffering of the Kurds in Iraq and Syria? He continued by saying, should not the Turkish government takes next step and declare ISIS publicly as a terrorist group. Ordogans’ double standard policies are self-evidence that the friendship of Kurds and Turks is on his agenda.

A representative of Ezidis in Iraqi Parliament Viyan Şengalî while she was frustrated as a result of the mass killings of the Ezidis, asked the head of the Iraqi general assembly to take preventive measures in order to prevent mass killings of the Ezidis. She said, Our people in Shengal are facing serious threat of being annihilated by the ISIS terrorist group. ISIS is committing mass killings. Up to now they have killed 500 Ezidis men, and taken Ezidis women as slaves and the same time rapped the abducted Ezidis women.

Iraqi Human Rights spokesperson held that ISIS terrorist groups abducted hundreds of Ezidis women. Ethnic and religious minorities which do not follow ISIS are killed brutally by the ISIS mercilessly: Associated Press reported.

President Barak Obama had a conversation with each British Prime Minister and German Chancellor in respect of the recent developments in Iraq and claimed that his government will not allow the ISIS to establish Caliphate state in Iraq and Syria.

Even though US military airplanes and drones after Obamas press conference stroke ISIS strongholds, political analysers and expertise believe that the limited air strike is not effective militarily and it would not weakens ISIS military capability.

US Senator Jan McCain on Saturday even though criticised Obama’s policies regards the Iraq’s political turmoil and chaos, Obama’s decision to perpetuate limited airstrike against ISIS positions which is considered one of the wealthiest terrorist organizations and very well  equipped militarily, are not effective and do not suffice the situation.

Moreover, French President Francois Hollande in a telephone call with the Kurdistan Regional Government officials assured the KRG official that France will provide KRG a necessary supports to the region in its confrontation with the ISIS: France Press reported.

UK has supplied humanitarian aids to thousands of the Kurdish Ezidis surrounded by the ISIS on the mountains. The aid was delivered by the UK Airplanes to the mountains.

On the other side the UN Security Council announced an urgent security meeting to discuss the situation of the Ezidis in Shengal and the UK has adopted a Resolution in respect of the ISIS and Jubha Al-Nusra in Iraq and Syria. However, the resolution has not made any reference to the use of force against the terrorist groups.

International Organizations warn of the Humanitarian Crises in Shengal:

Mohammad Al-Khazali Spokesperson of the Iraqi Red Crescent stated that ISIS has put 500 Kurdish Ezidi and Christian women on auction marked in Mosul. Women who are captured by the ISIS are considered the war achievements and according to their jurisprudence they can either sale them or own them by themselves.

The representative of the UNICEF in respect of the children in Hewler (Erbil) warned international community about the occurrence of the humanitarian crises at Shengal Mountain. He stated that up to now 56 children has been starved to death by the ISIS on the mountains and he demanded international community to supply the fled Ezidis immediate humanitarian aid.

According to varies reporters, US Defence spokesperson stated that: 3 US airplanes supplied 73 packages of the humanitarian aids including 28 thousand of the cans of food and 1500 bottles of water to the Ezidi people stuck in Shengal mountains.

Thousands of the Kurdish Ezids has fled to the mountains after ISIS has gained control of the Shengal and the regions where the Ezidis and Christian are located. As a result, these people are in desperate of the humanitarian need and their situation is ciritical and requires immediate and necessary actions to be taken by the International community, the United Nations and UN Security Council.

ISIS attacks on the Kurdish people initially took place in Rojava and in a short period of time it spread to the neighbouring country Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan. ISIS controls a large part of Syrian and Iraqi territory and planning to wage a deadly on Kurdish people in Rojava and southern Kurdistan (Syrian and Iraqi Kurdistan).

Rojhelat.info