FM Fuad Hussein: Protecting Iraq’s Diversity is a Firm National Responsibility, and We Will not Allow the Perpetrators of the Genocide against the Yazidis to Escape Justice

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iraq, H.E. Mr. Fuad Hussein, reaffirmed the Iraqi Government’s commitment to continuing its national and international efforts to achieve justice for the victims of the genocide perpetrated by the terrorist Da’esh organization against the Yazidi community, stressing that protecting Iraq’s religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity is a firm national choice and a fundamental pillar for strengthening national unity and consolidating security and stability.

The remarks were delivered on Monday, 3 August 2026, in Erbil, where H.E. the Minister spoke on behalf of H.E. Prime Minister Mr. Ali Al-Zaidi during the ceremony marking the twelfth anniversary of the genocide committed by the terrorist Da’esh organization against the Yazidis.

At the outset of his address, H.E. the Minister recalled the painful chapters of Iraq’s history, noting that the genocide against the Yazidis was part of a broader pattern of crimes committed against the Iraqi people. These included the forced displacement campaigns against the Feylis in 1980, the genocide of the Barzanis in 1983, the Anfal Campaign and the genocide in Halabja in 1988, culminating in the atrocities committed by the terrorist Da’esh organization in Sinjar and other Iraqi regions in an attempt to undermine Iraq’s diversity and national fabric.

H.E. affirmed that the crimes committed by the terrorist organization—including killings, abductions, forced displacement, enslavement, violations of religious and cultural sanctities, and the destruction of property—constitute crimes against humanity that will remain a lasting testament to the brutality of terrorism, emphasizing that the resilience of the Iraqi people and the sacrifices made by the Iraqi Armed Forces in all their branches played a decisive role in defeating the terrorist organization’s plans, liberating cities, rescuing innocent civilians, and defeating terrorism.

H.E. the Minister noted that the Iraqi Government is implementing comprehensive programmes to support recovery and reintegration, provide protection and care for the most affected groups, support the reconstruction of Sinjar District and other affected areas, accelerate compensation procedures for victims, and promote community reconciliation in cooperation with the United Nations and international partners, thereby contributing to stability and sustainable development throughout Iraq.

In this context, H.E. also highlighted the Government’s strong commitment to supporting survivors of Da’esh crimes through the implementation of the Yazidi Female Survivors Law No. (8) of 2021. The law provides financial compensation, free residential land plots for female survivors, healthcare and psychological support, and measures to facilitate the voluntary and safe return of internally displaced persons to their areas, particularly Sinjar District.

H.E. also pointed to the Government’s continued efforts to determine the fate of missing and abducted persons, exhume mass graves, recover the remains of victims, and identify them in accordance with legal and humanitarian standards, ensuring that the truth is established, the dignity of the victims is preserved, and their families are able to learn the fate of their loved ones.

H.E. the Minister affirmed that the Federal Government, in coordination with the Kurdistan Regional Government, has succeeded in reuniting large numbers of abducted Yazidis with their families, while efforts continue to secure the return of those who remain missing, achieve justice, and provide redress for victims and their families.

H.E. further noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues, through its diplomatic and consular missions, to keep the issue of the genocide against the Yazidis high on the agenda of regional and international forums, while strengthening international cooperation to secure the return of abducted persons, bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice, and ensure that they do not escape accountability.

In concluding his remarks, H.E. Mr. Fuad Hussein reaffirmed the Government’s full support for the Yazidi component, survivors, and the families of victims and missing persons, stressing that safeguarding the rights of all components of the Iraqi people, promoting the principles of equal citizenship, respecting diversity, combating hate speech, and fostering a culture of coexistence and tolerance constitute essential foundations for building a safe and stable Iraq and ensuring that such crimes are never repeated.