In 2014 the ISIS gangs, who have become a plague for humanity, slaughtered thousands of Êzidîs in Shengal. Only the Kurdish Freedom Movement did not remain silent in the face of this genocide. But now the Êzidîs have finally organised themselves thoroughly and have formed their own military force. The force of the Shengal Women's Units (YJŞ) formatted itself to take revenge for the Êzidî women and for all downtrodden women, and has become a beacon of hope especially to the women of the Êzidî community.

Numerous Êzidî girls and women, who were abducted by the ISIS gangs, were taken to Raqqa and sold into slavery. And exactly here, in the stronghold of ISIS, these fearless fighters of the YJŞ are waging a battle against these barbaric gangs.

The YJŞ fighters battling the ISIS gangs in Raqqa, talked on the 3rd anniversary of the genocide in Shengal with the ANF:

“WE WILL AVENGE THEM”

YJŞ fighter Mîrkan Tilqeseb stated: "At the sight of this calamity, wherein thousands of women and children of Shengal were massacred such savagely and were raped systematically, I could on no account to continue my life with an easy heart. On 3 August 2014 the people of Shengal were subjected to an extensive genocide. I was there when the massacres started. After all these savage killings of the Êzidî women and children, I did not deem it my right to take my ease and just live on as if nothing happened. Now we are in Raqqa, avenging the Êzidî community, avenging the Êzidî women. I used to have a quite pleasant life in the past. But I could not accept myself to continue it simply like that. Think of it, at this very moment there are seven-year-old girls in ISIS captivity being raped by them constantly. And for this reason I as a fighter of the YJŞ have joined the Great Battle to liberate Raqqa and am fighting in the emplacements to take revenge for the Êzidî women."

FLED FROM ISIS, TOOK UP ARMS TO FIGHT THEM

Another YPJ fighter Hêza Şengal, who was one of the thousands of Êzidî women that were abducted by the ISIS gangs during the 73rd genocide, was first taken to Raqqa and managed to escape from the claws of the ISIS gangs. Hêza stressed that she can feel the pain the enslaved women suffer from, too well and does know the conditions they are in, saying: "On the 3rd August 2014 when the genocide was launched, there was no force to protect us. The Êzidî community was unorganised, uneducated. Therefore they faced many massacres throughout history. The faith of the Êzidî is a sacred one. And the Êzidî community is now getting educated and organised on the basis of a sacred philosophy.

There are still countless Êzidî women in the fangs of the ISIS gangs in Raqqa. Also I was one of those women. Our pain is the same. But now I took up arms to fight against ISIS. And standing here in Raqqa I wage battles against these thugs, to become an adequate response for all those women."

“UNTIL THE VERY LAST DROP OF BLOOD”

YJŞ fighter Warşîn Şengal stated: "We are fighting in Raqqa to avenge the Êzidî women. We are marching on the paths of all martyrs like Zîlan, all martyrs like Bêrîtan. And we will fight until our last drop of blood. Today we have taken up arms in Raqqa against the gangs of ISIS with a strong will and we will give them hell."