Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) - In a speech at a ceremony held to bury 67 bodies of Yazidi martyrs in the Yezidi holy site of Sheikh Sharafaddin shrine, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, highlighted the suffering of the Yazidis, who, he said, have been oppressed twice for being Kurds and Yazidis at the same time.

Prime Minister Barzani stressed that with sacrifices given by Yazidis and Peshmerga forces, the Kurdistan people will eventually prevail and Sinjar and other Kurdish areas will be liberated from the Islamic State terrorist organisation, ISIS.

He pointed out that, “Sinjar and its environs will be liberated at any price and returned to Kurdistan Region, where security, reconstruction, and coexistence will prevail again in this historical town which has been, since the ancient time, the cradle of religious coexistence.”

“The crimes, perpetrated against Yazidi Kurds are deep pains that we will never forget, but as we have gone through many periods of violent oppression and massacres in the past, this time again we will survive and prevail with dignity,” he added.

He reiterated that the Kurdistan Regional Government, KRG, continues its efforts to liberate the Yezidi Kurds, who are still held captive by ISIS terrorists. He pointed out that “the government has opened a special office dedicated to this task, which has so far managed to liberate 2058 Yezidi sisters and brothers from the grip of terrorists.” In this regard, he expressed his gratitude to the staff working at this office, who, he said, have achieved a great and honourable task.

Prime Minister Barzani said KRG institutions work to assist the Yazidi victims and displaced, who now live in camps, with the hope that they would be able to return to their hometowns, after their areas are being liberated.

He said that the KRG continues its campaign to obtain international recognition of the crimes committed against the Yezidi Kurds as genocide, through a committee, chaired by the KRG Minister of Martyrs and Anfal affairs.

He expressed his gratitude to the Peshmerga forces that have been able to protect Kurdistan territories, and those who have been able to defend and protect Sheikh Sharafaddin shrine against ISIS threats.

Prime Minister Barzani pointed out that religious tolerance and coexistence among different communities in Kurdistan Region is a great support for the success of the Kurdistan people.

He said that the presence of representatives of various religious communities in this ceremony is a message to the enemies that coexistence will continue in the Kurdistan Region.