# Sinjar Yazidi genocide – 12th anniversary protests

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/sinjar-yazidi-genocide-by-isis
> Updated: 2026-08-02T07:11:49.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2.

In the summer of 2014, after seizing Mosul, the Islamic State rapidly advanced on the Sinjar region of northern Iraq. Secret agreements between IS commanders and local Arab tribal leaders, coupled with a withdrawal of Kurdish Peshmerga forces, enabled the militants to surround Yazidi villages and carry out mass killings, abductions and forced conversions that have been recognized as genocide.

Twelve years later, the anniversary of the August 2014 assault was marked by survivor testimonies and renewed international attention. United Nations investigations and independent reports continue to classify the attacks as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Survivors recount the siege conditions on Sinjar mountain, the obstacles faced at Peshmerga checkpoints, and the lifesaving corridors opened by local resistance groups. Estimates cite at least 5,000 deaths, 6,000‑7,000 women and children abducted, and around 400,000 displaced, with many mass graves still unexamined.

On 3 August 2026, the Free Women Movement organized a press conference and demonstration in Istanbul, drawing activists, civil‑society groups and political representatives. Speakers highlighted the unresolved mass graves, the more than 2,500 Yazidis still missing, and ongoing insecurity, health, education and housing challenges in Sinjar. They called for fresh investigations and accountability for the perpetrators. Analysts note that the Sinjar assault was part of a broader regional strategy against Yazidi Kurds and that the area remains destabilised by PKK presence and illicit drug and arms trafficking.

The commemoration emphasizes ongoing demands for accountability and the broader challenge of addressing war crimes in Iraq and the region.

## Claims

- ISIS attacked Sinjar on August 3, 2014, targeting the Yazidi community. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The attack resulted in thousands of Yazidis killed and many missing. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- More than 2,500 Yazidis' fate remains unknown. (single source)
- Mass graves from the Sinjar attack remain unopened and unidentified. (single source)
- Women and girls were abducted, enslaved and subjected to sexual violence during the attack. (single source)
- The Sinjar assault was part of a broader regional strategy targeting Yazidi Kurds. (single source)
- Istanbul protest on the 12th anniversary was organized by the Free Women Movement (TJA). (single source)
- Protestors called for justice and highlighted the lack of accountability for the Sinjar crimes. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-02: 12th anniversary of Sinjar genocide marked in Istanbul protests

The 12th anniversary of ISIS's 2014 Sinjar genocide was marked in Istanbul, with activists demanding justice for thousands of missing Yazidis, unresolved mass graves, and ongoing regional instability.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sinjar-genocide-12th-anniversary-marked-by-survivor-testimonies

### 2026-07-31: ISIS siege of Sinjar (Şengal) follows 2014 Mosul capture

In 2014, ISIS captured Mosul and quickly moved to besiege Sinjar, aided by local tribal collusion and Peshmerga withdrawal, leading to the Yazidi genocide.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/isis-siege-of-sinjar-engal-follows-2014-mosul-capture

---
Cite as: Sinjar Yazidi genocide – 12th anniversary protests. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/sinjar-yazidi-genocide-by-isis