Tekkal sisters campaign for Yazidi genocide victims
Five German sisters—Düzen, Tezcan, Tugba, Tülin and Tuna Tekkal—have devoted their careers to drawing global attention to the massacre of Yazidis by the Islamic State. The sisters were moved in 2014 by a cry for help from relatives in Iraq and, despite their mother’s objections, travelled to the region to witness the aftermath.
The Islamic State’s campaign, which began in 2014, involved killing men and older women, enslaving and raping girls, and conscripting boys as child soldiers. United Nations estimates place the displacement at around 400,000 people, with up to 10,000 deaths and 7,000 abductions. Yazidis number roughly one million and are concentrated in northern Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and western Iran. The Tekkal sisters’ advocacy is featured in Birgitta Stauber’s "Das Beste am Sonntag" newsletter dated 29 July 2026.
Entities
Düzen Tekkal · Islamic State · Islamic State (IS) · Tekkal sisters · Tezcan Tekkal · Tugba Tekkal · Tuna Tekkal · Tülin Tekkal · United Nations · Yazidis
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 6 SOURCES] The sisters travelled to Iraq despite their mother’s opposition. www.wp.de · www.harzkurier.de · www.otz.de · www.ikz-online.de · www.nrz.de · +1 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] Main Yazidi settlement areas are northern Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and western Iran. www.wp.de · www.harzkurier.de · www.otz.de · www.ikz-online.de · www.nrz.de · +1 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] The Yazidi population is estimated at about one million people. www.wp.de · www.harzkurier.de · www.otz.de · www.ikz-online.de · www.nrz.de · +1 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] Düzen Tekkal heard a distress call (‘Hawar’) via Facebook in 2014 while filming for RTL. www.wp.de · www.harzkurier.de · www.otz.de · www.ikz-online.de · www.nrz.de · +1 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] Five German sisters – Düzen, Tezcan, Tugba, Tülin and Tuna Tekkal – are campaigning for Yazidi women. www.wp.de · www.harzkurier.de · www.otz.de · www.ikz-online.de · www.nrz.de · +1 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] UN estimates report that the Islamic State displaced 400,000 Yazidis, killed up to 10,000 and abducted about 7,000. www.wp.de · www.harzkurier.de · www.otz.de · www.ikz-online.de · www.nrz.de · +1 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] The sisters use their careers in football, real‑estate and journalism to raise awareness of Yazidi women’s plight. www.wp.de · www.harzkurier.de · www.otz.de · www.ikz-online.de · www.nrz.de · +1 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] The Islamic State began a systematic genocide of Yazidis in 2014. www.wp.de · www.harzkurier.de · www.otz.de · www.ikz-online.de · www.nrz.de · +1 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] In 2014 the Islamic State began a systematic genocide against the Yazidi minority. www.wp.de · www.harzkurier.de · www.otz.de · www.ikz-online.de · www.nrz.de · +1 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] The United Nations estimates that the Islamic State displaced 400,000 people, caused up to 10,000 deaths and 7,000 disappearances. www.wp.de · www.harzkurier.de · www.otz.de · www.ikz-online.de · www.nrz.de · +1 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] The Tekkal sisters do not rely on marriage for security and instead use their careers in football, real estate and journalism to support themselves. www.wp.de · www.harzkurier.de · www.otz.de · www.ikz-online.de · www.nrz.de · +1 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] Düzen Tekkal, a former RTL journalist, heard a distress call “Hawar” via Facebook while filming in a nursing home in 2014. www.wp.de · www.harzkurier.de · www.otz.de · www.ikz-online.de · www.nrz.de · +1 more