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“Yazidi community had more losses than achievements in this year,” President of the Association of Young Yazidis of Armenia NGO Sayid Avdalyan noted during today’s press conference when summarizing the year.

In his words the genocide against the Yazidis (Yezidis) of Shangal town which began in 2014 continues up to now, and as a result of the ISIS attacks over 25.000 Yezidis were murdered, numerous settlements of Yezidi communities became under their control and many sanctuaries were destroyed.

“According to the data provided by the UN 3500 Yezidi women and children are held captive as of now. And the destinies of those people are unknown as ISIS militants have sold them into slavery in different countries. More than half million Yazidis have become refugees,” Avdalyan noted.

He mentioned that many states, as well as international organizations reacted to the genocide against Yezidis, however those reactions remained only on the paper as no concrete steps are taken to stop the atrocities against those people. “Yazidis are not safe in Muslim-majority countries,” he added.

However he added that the Yazidi community has registered some achievements together with significant losses.  “On 1 April 2016 the first pan-Yezidi satellite TV channel launched in Russia. On 28 September the Yazidi organizations in Russia came together and established a joint organization called Yazidi Congress. During the Georgian parliamentary elections a Yazidi person was elected PM, and he will present the interests of the Yazidi people,” Sayid Avdalyan said.

He considered the liberation of a Yazidi neighbourhood located 20km near Mosul as one of the most important achievements of this year.

President of the Association of Young Yazidis of Armenia NGO added that in Yerevan and in Aknalich monuments dedicated to the memories of the Iraqi Yazidis genocide were opened.