August is considered a particularly bloody month in Shengal, with brutal massacres also taking place before and after the ISIS genocide and femicide of 2014. The martyrs were commemorated at the martyrs' cemetery in the Shengal mountains.
In memory of those who died in Shengal in the month of August, an event was held at the "Şehîd Dilgêş û Şehîd Berxwedan" cemetery. After a military tribute by fighters of the Shengal Resistance Units YBŞ) and the Shengal Women's Units (YJŞ), speeches were held to commemorate the victims of the ISIS attack on 3 August 2014 and Turkey's subsequent attacks on the Sikêniyê clinic and the Yazidi revolutionaries Mam Zekî (Ismail Özden) and Seîd Hesen.
YBŞ commander Tirêj Şengalî began his speech by saluting Abdullah Öcalan and thanking “the fighters of the HPG, YJA Star, YPG, YPJ and Hashd al-Shaabi who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of Shengal. As the Yazidi community and their defence forces YBŞ and YJŞ, we are in their debt."
The commander further stated the following: "August is a bloody month for the Yazidi people. On 14 August 2007, the massacre took place in Til Ezer and Siba Şêx Xidir, on 3 August 2014, the ISIS raid, on 15 August 2014, the massacre in Kocho, on 15 August 2018, the drone attack on Mam Zekî, on 16 August 2021, the drone attack on YBŞ commander Seîd Hesen and on 17 August 2021, the clinic in Sikêniyê. We are witnesses to these massacres and will never forget them.
All these massacres are the reason for us to strengthen our military units in order to be able to defend our people. The attack on Mam Zekî was a very painful event and an attack on the entire Yazidi community. He stood for the unity of our people and became a target because our enemies do not want us to have such leaders.
In recent years, many plans and intrigues have been made and implemented against us. In all externally decided plans, the people of Shengal have been bypassed. The agreement decided in Baghdad on 9 October 2020 was a continuation of the genocide of 3 August 2014. This was to liquidate leaders of our people and this is also how our commander, Seîd Hesen, fell in a targeted attack by the Turkish state. So, we cannot say that the genocide was only committed by ISIS.
The Yazidi people have changed since 2014. They are now able to defend themselves. As YBŞ and YJŞ, we have been attacked very often in recent years. These attacks are meant to break the will of the Yazidi community. However, we have never retreated even one step and will continue to do everything we can to defend our people."
