June 28, 2022

Today, in the presence of Yazidi community members, clergymen, and community leaders, a ceremony was held to exhume the remains of Yazidi genocide victims from Sinjar found in mass graves in Qani village, Sinjar, Iraq.

During the 2014 genocide against the Yazidis, peaceful residents from Qani village and other areas of Sinjar suffered targeted violence and destruction.

Finally, after eight years of waiting for answers, the remains were exhumed from 6 mass graves in Qani village. According to the testimonies of survivors, these graves held the remains of more than 70 Yazidi men and children.

Exhumations are critical to the Yazidi community’s recovery. They enable survivors to honor and mourn their loved ones. They also provide documentation of ISIS’ crimes that can be used as evidence in international courts.

Today, there are still dozens of mass graves throughout Sinjar district, awaiting exhumation, identification, and burial. Ceremonies like the one today are a visceral reminder of the urgent need to continue the exhumation process, so survivors can identify their loved ones and lay them to rest.

NI’s Iraq team joined the ceremony to support community members during this difficult time.