Shengal Autonomous Administration made a statement regarding today’s UCAV attack by the Turkish state, which targeted a car belonging to the Martyrs' Families Institution in Ziravik village in the district of Tilizer at around 13.00 local time.

Speaking at the press statement in front of Sinun People's Assembly, Zorava People's Assembly Member Nemir Pûko announced that Sadun Mirza Ali, father of 3 children, was martyred as a result of the attack of the occupying Turkish state.

Asking international states "Where is your sovereignty? How will you protect your airspace?" and "Where is your democracy?", Nemir Pûko said, "The attacks against Shengal have continued since the 2013 genocide. We have defended our language, belief and land for 5 thousand years. We will not bow down now either.”

Reiterating that the Turkish state has continued its massacres to destroy the Yazidi people since the 2014 genocide, Pûko called on the Yazidi people not to leave Shengal.

PADÊ (Yazidî Democracy and Freedom Party) Co-Chair Macîde Dexil said, "They attack us every day. But they should know that we will not surrender. We will take stronger measures against the attacks. Those who shoot our children in front of our house are friends of ISIS gangs. We curse the Turkish state and Iraq."

Pointing out that the attack was carried out on the anniversary of the martyrdom of Şêrzad Şemo, one of the commanders of the Êzidxan Asayish (Internal Security Forces), Dexil emphasized that they will continue their struggle more strongly.

Background

The Yazidi settlement area Shengal (Sinjar) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq is the last contiguous settlement area of the Yazidi community. Thousands of Yazidis were murdered and thousands of women and children were taken prisoner in the 3 August 2014 onslaught on Shengal by ISIS militants. While ISIS gangs began murdering Yazidis in Shengal, the Peshmerga left, leaving the Yazidis behind, unprotected. The guerrillas of HPG (People’s Defense Forces) and YJA Star (Free Women’s Troops) and fighters of the YPG (People’s Defense Units) and YPJ (Women’s Defense Units) came to the Yazidi people's aid in the face of ISIS aggression. Thanks to a months-long selfless struggle, the city was liberated on 13 November 2015. After the liberation of the city, the HPG and YPG/YPJ subsequently withdrew in 2017. People who returned to their land after Shengal's independence reformed, established defensive units and built their institutions.

The Turkish state, which has been frustrated by the liberation of Shengal and the military and political organization of the Yazidi community after ISIS' genocidal attack in 2014, has been attacking Shengal for 6 years. Attacks by Turkey that violate international law have been routine in southern Kurdistan for years. The Turkish air force bombs the territory of the KRI and Iraq on an almost daily basis, especially where guerrillas are suspected. However, civilian settlement areas are also regularly attacked by the Turkish army, including the Yazidi settlement area of Shengal and the Maxmur refugee camp. With its aerial terror, Ankara is pursuing a targeted policy of displacement - in particular by deliberately destroying civilian infrastructure.