Marking Ten Years on the Sinjar Attack: UNITAD Commemorates the Yazidi Genocide and Other International Crimes Committed by ISIL (Da’esh) Against the Yazidi Community

“As we remember the devastating atrocities inflicted on the Yazidi community of Iraq starting with the attack on Sinjar ten years ago, continuing the pursuit of justice is more important than ever. UNITAD has worked to support accountability for ISIL (Da’esh) crimes for six years, including through a dedicated investigation focused on the crimes committed against the Yazidi community. As we honour the memory of victims of these atrocities, we must also recognize the steadfastness and resilience of the Yazidi community in their quest for full truth and accountability, so that these heinous crimes may never happen again,” said Ana Peyro Llopis, Acting Special Adviser and Head of UNITAD.

As legally established by UNITAD and announced in May 2021, the Investigative Team has concluded, based on clear and convincing evidence, that the crimes committed by ISIL (Da’esh) against the Yazidis constitute genocide.

These factual and legal findings of the Team are part of a case assessment that will be shared with the competent Iraqi judicial authorities, along with the underlying evidence, prior to the conclusion of the mandate.

To develop its assessment, among other activities, the Team collected information from witnesses and supported the Iraqi authorities in the excavation of 37 mass graves linked to these crimes. This has led to the remains of 186 identified Yazidi victims being returned for dignified burial. Additionally, the Team has identified and assessed over 60 Yazidi cultural heritage sites damaged or destroyed by ISIL (Da’esh). UNITAD has released a video that synthesizes the underlying testimonial, documentary, digital and forensic evidence supporting these findings.

“These findings represent a leap forward on the path towards meaningful accountability, supporting prosecutions of ISIL (Da’esh) perpetrators for international crimes, including genocide, in Iraq as well as in third states, where perpetrators have been seeking to escape justice,” she added.

“We remain hopeful that the pursuit for justice will continue after the closure of UNITAD. There are still stories to be told, survivors to be heard, and perpetrators to be held accountable”, said Acting Special Advisor Peyro Llopis. “The Government of Iraq has repeatedly expressed its commitment to move forward with that work, and the Team remains encouraged by this commitment. While UNITAD will not exist anymore, the national capacities it has supported and the substantial digital archive it has consolidated remain a powerful tool that we hope will be made accessible for accountability purposes in Iraq and globally,” she added. 

Over the past six years, UNITAD has worked closely with Yazidi survivors, victim families and the Yazidi community. “I wish to acknowledge the extent of their support, and the contribution the Yazidi survivors have made by coming forward to give their accounts and share their horrific stories and painful memories. They are, in many ways, inseparable from the legacy of the Team, and represent the reason why accountability for the international crimes committed by Da’esh in Iraq must continue”, concluded Acting Special Adviser Peyro Llopis.