Kurdish Policy Analysis

By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj | Kurdish Policy Analysis

The Society for Threatened Peoples has urged Germany to strengthen protections for Yazidi genocide survivors and warned against deportations to Iraq, citing ongoing security risks and slow reconstruction in Sinjar.

Twelve years after the Yazidi genocide in Sinjar (Shengal), the **Society for Threatened Peoples> (GfbV) has criticized the German government for failing to translate its recognition of the genocide into concrete policy measures, while warning against deporting Yazidi survivors back to Iraq.

The human rights organization argues that despite the German Bundestag recognizing the Yazidi genocide in 2023, conditions for Yazidis and other vulnerable minorities remain too unstable for returns.

Warning Against Deportations

The GfbV said repeated political calls to deport Iraqi nationals from Germany remain deeply concerning, particularly when they involve survivors of genocide.

Kamal Sido, the organization's Middle East expert, warned that returning Yazidis to Iraq could expose them to renewed insecurity.

"Although this has not yet happened, there are repeated calls to deport genocide survivors to the unsafe conditions in Iraq," Sido said. "Such proposals put the lives of those affected at risk."

He added that similar concerns apply to Iraq's Christian communities and other religious minorities, as well as minorities living in Syria under its current authorities.

Security Concerns Persist

According to the organization, the territorial defeat of the self-proclaimed Islamic State has not eliminated the underlying threats facing ethnic and religious minorities.

The GfbV argues that extremist ideology continues to survive despite the group's military defeat, while weak state institutions in both Iraq and Syria remain unable to provide lasting protection.

The organization also expressed concern over political uncertainty in the Kurdistan Region, noting that nearly two years after parliamentary elections, Kurdish political parties have yet to form a new regional government.

Concerns Over Regional Instability

The rights group further warned that developments in neighboring Syria continue to affect the security environment around Sinjar.

It criticized the growing influence of Islamist forces in parts of Syria located close to the Iraqi border and also referenced the role of regional and international actors—including Turkey, the United States, and other Western governments—in shaping the region's evolving political landscape.

Fears of Renewed Regional Conflict

The organization also voiced concern over rising tensions across the Middle East.

According to Sido, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump lacks a comprehensive strategy for addressing developments involving Iran, Iraq, and Syria.

He warned that escalating tensions could eventually trigger another large-scale confrontation between Sunni and Shia forces.

Sido argued that a similar regional escalation between 2013 and 2015 created the conditions that enabled ISIS to expand rapidly, ultimately leading to the genocide against the Yazidis in Sinjar.

Twelve Years After the Genocide

On August 3, 2014, ISIS launched its assault on the Yazidi community in Sinjar, in what has since been recognized by multiple countries and international bodies as genocide.

According to various estimates:

• Between 5,000 and 10,000 Yazidis were killed.
• Around 7,000 women and girls were abducted.
• Approximately 2,000 abductees remain missing.

Despite the military defeat of ISIS, the consequences of the genocide continue to shape life in Sinjar.

Large sections of the district remain damaged or destroyed, while many communities continue to face shortages in healthcare, public services, administrative capacity, and long-term reconstruction support.

Political Deadlock Continues

The recovery of Sinjar has also been slowed by the continuing political and security dispute between the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government over administrative authority and security responsibilities in the district.

The unresolved governance arrangements have complicated reconstruction efforts and delayed the return of many displaced Yazidi families.

Analysis

The GfbV's statement highlights the gap that can emerge between symbolic recognition and practical protection. While Germany's recognition of the Yazidi genocide marked an important political and legal milestone, the organization argues that long-term security, reconstruction, and protection for survivors remain incomplete.

The debate also reflects broader questions surrounding refugee returns to fragile states. Although security conditions in Iraq have improved in many areas since ISIS's territorial defeat, human rights organizations continue to argue that minorities—particularly Yazidis, Christians, and other vulnerable communities—face unique risks that require individualized protection assessments rather than broad return policies.

As the world marks twelve years since the Sinjar genocide, reconstruction, accountability for crimes committed by ISIS, and the safe return of displaced Yazidis remain among the region's most significant unresolved humanitarian challenges.

#Yazidis #Sinjar #Iraq #HumanRights #Germany