Over 90 Yazidi Families Return to Shingal After Years of Displacement

More than 90 Yazidi families have returned to their homeland in Shingal (Sinjar), northern Iraq, Rudaw reported citing the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displacement. Spokesperson Ali Jahangir announced that 92 families returned on Sunday from Chamishko camp in Duhok province.

In August 2014, ISIS launched a brutal attack on the Yazidi community in Shingal, killing and abducting around 9,900 people and displacing up to 200,000. Many Yazidis fled to camps in the Kurdistan Region, with 31,000 families displaced at the start of 2024; currently, 21,000 families remain in camps.

The ministry plans to provide returning families with financial aid of approximately $3,000 and essential household appliances, including refrigerators, stoves, and televisions. The financial assistance awaits approval from the Iraqi finance ministry.

Despite the decade since the ISIS assault, many Yazidis remain displaced due to security issues, political disputes, reconstruction challenges, and the presence of armed groups, which continue to hinder safe return.