During the Charshama Sare Sale, they traditionally light candles at Lalish Temple as dusk falls in a valley near the northern city of Dohuk, the Kurdistan Region.

 

“This holiday is an opportunity to celebrate the rich heritage of this ancient community, and to honor its sacrifices and steadfastness in the face of profound hardship - challenges that have only strengthened its resolve to seek justice and live in dignity,” said UN Assistance Mission for Iraq chief Mohammed al-Hassan.

 

Hassan reiterated the UN’s “unwavering commitment to supporting the Yazidi community on its path to comprehensive recovery - a recovery that will only be complete when all displaced persons have returned home in safety, and dignity when there is clarity about the fate of the missing.”

 

Following the Islamic State’s (ISIS) attack on the Yazidi heartland of Sinjar in August 2014, thousands of Yazidis were forced to flee their homes in hopes of escaping the militant group’s atrocities.

 

Over ten years on, thousands of Yazidis remain missing, and tens of thousands of others are unwilling to return to Sinjar due to security concerns exacerbated by a lack of services and reconstruction.

 

The UNAMI head reiterated UN’s “solidarity with the Yazidi people” and expressed their “steadfast support for their rights to a future of peace, justice, and human dignity.” 

 

Kurdish leaders, including Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, extended their congratulations to the Yazidis on Tuesday.