Xelef Qasim, a member of the Shengal Democratic Autonomous Assembly, provided the ANF with an assessment of the current situation in Shengal.

Pointing out that Erdogan gave the KDP the most important role in the attacks on Shengal, Qasim remarked, "The KDP sees the attack on Shengal as a feast. Everyone in Kurdistan is aware of that."

'THE GOAL IS YAZIDI EXTERMINATION'

Xelef Qasim noted that Shengal, which was subjected to horrible massacres by ISIS gangs in 2014, is now confronted with a new massacre, and stated, "There is an approach such as 'the murder of Yazidis is halal’ as was the case in 2014. The entire world has been deafeningly silent about this tragedy. Iraq, Turkey, the KDP, and the United States all oppose Shengal. Shengal's desire to settle difficulties through dialogue was met with attacks."

Referring to the Zap-centered concept of occupation against Kurdistan, Xelef Qasim continued, "Their goal is the destruction of the Kurds. The main target of the aggression, which began on April 17, was Shengal and the Yazidis. By attacking Zap and Avaşin, they prevented PKK guerrillas from responding to Shengal's outcry.”

'KDP HAS THE BIGGEST ROLE'

Qasim emphasized the importance of the KDP’s role in the attack on Shengal, saying, "Disturbed that Shengal is free and its people live in peace, the KDP took action with the mandate given by Erdogan. The KDP considers the attack on Shengal and the war to be a feast. They appear to have lost their humanity. Everyone in Kurdistan, young and old alike, is aware of this."

Emphasizing that the Shengal Agreement signed on October 9, 2020, made the Yazidis a subject of commercial interests, Qasim stated that “They are calculating and trading over the people of Shengal. The Turkish government is also a party to the October 9 Agreement which is in the interest of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government."

‘THEY CANNOT DEFEAT US; WE WILL DEFEND OUR AUTONOMY'

"This alliance will not be allowed until there is only one Yazidi left in Shengal,” said Xelef Qasim and continued,

“All the Yazidi people know that no one can destroy what they have achieved through great resistance and sacrifice for 8 years. Nobody can destroy it. We lost hundreds of martyrs for this cause. These attacks, Iraq, the KDP, the Turkish state cannot change our stance on autonomy. We would lose more martyrs, but not get defeated. The Yazidis will win again. Nobody can destroy the Shengal Autonomous Administration. No one can intimidate us and break the will of the Yazidis.”

Shengal Democratic Autonomous Assembly Executive Member Xelef Qasim concluded his speech by calling for action to prevent yet another genocide in Shengal.”