Yazidis in Nineveh Receive Property Title Deeds After Decades of Denial

After more than 50 years of official denial, over 15,000 Yazidis living in 11 settlements near Shingal (Sinjar) in Nineveh province have begun receiving title deeds for their properties, Rudaw reported. This marks a significant milestone in restoring property rights to a community displaced during the Ba’ath regime’s Arabization campaign in 1975.

During that campaign, thousands of Yazidis were forcibly relocated from their ancestral villages in the mountainous Shingal area to collective towns on the plains, but were never given official documentation for their homes. Ra’ad al-Hadidi, director of Nineveh municipalities, confirmed the issuance of deeds, while Yazidi resident Murad Hassan expressed relief and hope for rebuilding.

The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) hailed the move as a breakthrough, emphasizing its importance in restoring dignity and hope. Although a fee of 20,000 Iraqi dinars per square meter is required for title deeds, Yazidis are exempted from this charge, easing their path to legal ownership.