Shingal is a deep wound to the people of Kurdistan. What ISIS terrorists did seven years ago against our Yazidi brothers and sister is a pain that will never be forgotten.

President Masoud Barzani's message on the 7th Anniversary of the Shingal genocide

In the name of God, the most merciful, most gracious

Shingal is a deep wound to the people of Kurdistan. What ISIS terrorists did seven years ago against our Yazidi brothers and sister is a pain that will never be forgotten. We know very well that when terrorists attacked Kurdistan, Yazidis were subjected to the hatred and unconscionableness of ISIS criminals because of their religious beliefs. The crimes committed by ISIS in the Shingal area were the extension of the series of genocides, massacres and crimes committed against the Kurdistani people throughout history.

On the 7th anniversary of this day, we send greetings and salute to the souls of the martyrs and victims of these hideous crimes. We respectfully commemorate the brave Peshmerga who gave blood to liberate the Shingal Mountain and the city of Shingal, and put the heads of brutal ISIS members under the feet of our Yazidi brothers and sisters and avenged the injustice.

It is sad that after seven years the suffering of the Yazidis is still ongoing, and Shingal is in the hands of a group of gunman and forces that have nothing to do with Shingal and do not have the best interests of the Yazidis and the people of Shingal. Those people are preventing the return of the people and the reconstruction of Shingal. I reiterate my support to my dear Yazidi brothers and sisters and assure you that I am with you with and share your suffering and sorrow. I request the community be united and have hope. Once again, I assure you that whatever is based on injustice and oppression will eventually come to an end. The current status quo is unacceptable and unusual as illegal and the situation in Shingal will not endure for long. We insist the return our Yazidi brothers and sisters to their hometown and the return must be with pride as they deserve.

Masoud Barzani

August 3, 2021