Unveiling of Yezidi Genocide Monument in Shigur honors victims of brutal atrocities

SHIGUR, Iraq — In a solemn ceremony, the Yezidi Genocide Monument was unveiled in Shigur (Sinjar / Shengal), located to the west of Mosul, Iraq. The monument stands as a permanent reminder of the horrific genocide perpetrated against the Yezidi people by the Islamic State (ISIS) during their occupation of Shigur.

The unveiling ceremony drew dignitaries, elders, and residents of Shigur. Among the prominent attendees were Iraq’s Minister of Culture, Ahmed Fakak, and Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Ahmed al-Asadi. Governor of Nineveh, Najm al-Jubouri, expressed in his speech that the monument serves as a poignant symbol to remember the victims of the Yezidi Genocide. He emphasized the importance of commemorating the innocent lives lost during those harrowing times.

The Yezidis Genocide Monument holds a place of reverence, situated in proximity to the Mothers Cemetery, which derives its name from the countless elderly Yezidi women who suffered unspeakable fates at the hands of ISIS. This site further reminds the world of the atrocities and inhumanity perpetrated during the occupation of Shigur.

Mayor of Shigur, Nayef Sido, provided an encouraging update on the return of displaced Yezidi families to Shigur, with 2,600 displaced families returning to their homes.