It's been six years since the Islamic State (IS) attacked Yazidis homeland in northern Iraq. Their nightmare, however, continues. ⠀
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On August 3, 2014, the genocidal campaign of Yazidis by the IS began. Even after their territories were recaptured and IS was defeated, thousands of Yazidis remain missing. Activists of the religious community have been raising their voice, but with reluctant support from International Organizations, they are left on their own.
Ali Hussein al-Khansouri, one of the activist told VOA that "many of the missing Yazidis must be 'bought' from their kidnappers who demand amounts that continue to increase. He said that locating and smuggling out the missing Yazidis is becoming more difficult, especially as they seem to be scattered across conflict areas of Syria to as far as Turkey. "⠀
Al-Khansouri has rescued 43 kidnapped Yazidis across Iraq and Syria. He has been an IS captive himself, and in 2017 he started his first mission of freeing an 8-year-old Yazidi girl from northwestern Syria under the al-Qaida offshoot the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group.
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The 34-year-old said, "I never imagined that I will be engaged in finding the missing Yazidis." He is on a quest to track 46 people from his extended family and relatives. ⠀
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“As time passed by and thousands of Yazidis remained missing, and because of the network of people I know, I was compelled to take action,” he said. ⠀
According to the Kidnapped Yazidis Rescue Office in Duhok, Kurdistan Region, 3,543 kidnapped Yazidis have been rescued, with 2,800 still missing.
This piece is an attempt to bring the unheard voices of people around the world.
Let's learn to raise our voice even when we are not directly affected. Speak up for #Yazidis
About the Author
Prakriti S is a foodie, wildlife photographer, geo-politics enthusiast, and a woman activist.
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