Warplanes of the occupying Turkish state carried out a comprehensive attack against the Yazidi town of Shengal (Sinjar) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on 24-25 October. The bases of Shengal Resistance Units (YBŞ) and houses of the civilian population were targeted in the attacks, while 6 YBŞ fighters were martyred and a woman and a girl were wounded.

Tents were set up for the martyrs in the Arab region of Shengal, Tilizêr and in the centre of Shengal for families to receive condolence visits.

While the people are outraged against the Iraqi and Turkish states for the attacks that resulted in deaths, Yazidi mothers reiterate their promise to continue the struggle of the martyrs.

One of the fallen YBŞ fighters, Azad Şengalî, was buried in Şêbil Qasim Cemetery on Mount Shengal. People are paying visits to his family and offering condolences.

Adil Tilizêrî, the uncle of martyr Azad Şengali (Raîd Xalid Husên), stated that there should be no more silence against the Iraqi state and said, “We express our condolences to all our people and our organisation. We must finally react to the Iraqi state. The government says every day that Shengal is under its protection, but as in 2014, it turns its back and opens its airspace to the Turkish state. This situation shows that Yazidis are no longer dependent on the Iraqi state. Our people should react to this silence of Iraq. Days have passed, but no Iraqi official has made a single statement. There has been neither reaction to the Turkish state nor expression of condolences to the families of the martyrs.”

Adil Tilizêrî continued: “5 Yazidi and an Arab youngster were martyred in the recent attacks. We offer our condolences to their families. We will continue the struggle until the end and we will never give up our land and our cause. We will protect our people and our land ourselves. They cannot weaken us with deaths. The enemy will never see us weakened.”

Martyr Azad's cousin Şêx Hüseyin reacted to the Iraqi state and said; “Our Yazidi people are very angry about the recent attacks. Was the PKK here in 1968 that they came and attacked? They and their collaborators are hostile to Yazidis. We condemn Iraq for remaining silent against the attacks and allowing attacks on its territory. We offer our condolences to the families of the YBŞ martyrs. We are not afraid of Erdoğan. If he has the courage, he should come to Shengal himself, not send his warplanes. Everything he does is a lie. We condemn the Iraqi state for allowing the Turkish state to attack its people on its territory.”

Şêx Hüseyin condemned Iraq and the Barzani family and said; “These attacks took place as a result of the alliance formed by Iraq, the Barzani family and Turkey. If it was not in line with their plans, they would not have entered Iraq and attacked. We condemn Iraq and the Barzani family. Our children, whom they have killed, have been receiving training since 2014 to protect the Yazidis from genocide.”