The Êzîdî people who suffered a massacre by ISIS gangs last August told that; “The presence of the guerrillas is the only reason and hope for us to live in the mountains and not leaving Shengal for 10 months.”

The Êzîdî people who went through a savage attack and massacre by ISIS gangs in Shengal town of South Kurdistan on 3 August 2014 are continuing the struggle to live. 

“Guerrillas are the only reason why we are here”, say the Êzîdîs living in the Mount Çilmêran, the highest one in Shengal where the freedom fighters of HPG (People’s Defense Forces) and YJA Star (Free Women’s Troops)  have mounted splendid resistance for the last 10 months. 

‘GUERILLAS ARE THE REASON WHY PEOPLE STRUGGLE IN MOUNTAINS’
Halît Hesen living in Mount Çilmêran said that; “We fled the massacre to the highest mountain of Shengal because we learned that the guerrillas were there to defend us. We wouldn’t stay here for one minute even if they weren’t in Shengal. HPG and YJA Star guerrillas are the single defense force of ours.”

Mentioning the friendly and helpful attitude and treatment of the guerrillas, Hesen said; “We are living in the holy mount of Çılmêran together with the guerrillas. This mountain houses the holy domes of our belief. It is them that are protecting and defending us here, and providing any kind of help. We are also influenced greatly by their manner of living.”

‘PEOPLE WILL NOT STAY HERE IF GUERRILLAS DO NOT’
Bezê Hecî who is continuing her life under challenging circumstances in Shengal mountain, together with her 7 children, after 2 sons of hers were abducted by ISIS, says she is living with the hope that guerrillas will lead Êzîdîs to their liberation. “When the massacre took place, we were in the village of Solak. Upon raiding the village, ISIS gangs abducted our children and took our arms and everything we had. We could hardly survive and flee to the mountain”, she told. 

Also talking about the support of guerrillas to the people, Hecî remarked that guerrillas have provided them with both moral and material support. “They did everything for us. They rescued our children, brought us food and water. And now, they are ensuring the safety of the Êzîdî people living here.”
She underlined that if guerrillas didn’t stay in Shengal, people wouldn’t, either.

‘GUERRILLAS BECAME THE HOPE OF THE PEOPLE’
Another local inhabitant, Hesen Ömer, who also voiced great pleasure for the presence of guerrillas in Shengal, told that; “When the massacre was carried out, guerrillas came to Shengal and defended us. They carried the elderly on their backs to the mountain. They have been defending us, the people, in the mount Çilmêran where we have been living together with them since the massacre.”