The Shengal Resistance Units (YBŞ) issued a call for “realization of Autonomous Shengal” in a statement to mark the seventh anniversary of the ISIS genocide against Yazidis on August 3, 2014.

“As YBŞ and YJŞ forces, let's realize Federal Democratic Iraq and Autonomous Shengal by expanding our resistance under the guidance of our great martyrs Ş. Mam Zeki, S. Berxwedan, S. Zerdeşt, S.Nazê in these days that mark the 7th anniversary of the 73rd Massacre carried out by ISIS against our people,” the YBŞ said in a written statement.

“Our people and all the peoples of the world have now realized that peoples have always faced massacres when they did not organize themselves and did not create their own forces. Our people have always relied on different forces. Our people trusted the KDP during the 73rd massacre, yet the KDP turned its back on our people. This shows that when people do not rely on their own forces, they always face massacres. Our people play a role in the region within the framework of the Democratic Nation Paradigm by drawing significant conclusions from the 73rd Massacre and they have developed their own organization. We can only stand against all attacks that may develop against our people on the basis of self-defence by improving our self-organization.

7 years have passed since the 73rd Massacre. Our YBŞ and YJŞ forces played an important role in both the liberation of Shengal and its defence and peace. Thousands of our families have returned to Shengal, to their homeland. This has never been experienced in Yazidi history. Because in the previous massacres, our people did not have a chance to return to their own lands. The last time, our YBŞ and YJŞ forces have been instrumental in our people's return. They paved the way for all the peoples of the region, especially our people, to organize themselves, to create their own forces, and to lead a peaceful and comfortable life. The glorious resistance of our martyrs made a great contribution to it. Significant gains have been achieved in this 7-year resistance thanks to our 400 martyrs, including Mam Zeki, Agit, Dilşer, Nujin, Berxwedan, Dilgeş, Berivan, Nujiyan, Zerdeşt and Naze.

The fascist Turkish state, which was the planner and implementer of the 73rd Massacre, and its collaborators want to complete it with the attacks they have recently carried out. We live in a period when we are faced with genocide attacks. Moreover, the fascist Turkish state and its collaborative force in the region, the KDP, want to continue and conclude these genocide attacks with the Hewler-Baghdad agreement. The ambitions of those who attempt to complete the 73rd Massacre have come to light following the Baghdad-Hewler agreement on October 9, 2020. However, just as the great resistance of our YBŞ and YJŞ forces and our people frustrated the 73rd Masscre on August 3, 2014, and liberated Shengal, we will resist these massacre attacks under the guidance of the glorious resistance of our martyrs. It is also a fact that massacres will always continue. Therefore, the danger of massacre continues for all Kurdish people and the peoples of the region.

It seems that the Turkish state, which supported ISIS and attacked the Yazidis, is still supporting and inciting the KDP to attack our people and the freedom fighters who defended our people in 2014. We declare to these occupying forces that if these attacks continue, we as YBŞ forces will not remain silent. We will not remain silent against those who gave the lands of Kurdistan to the Turks and those who attacked the lands of Iraq. If there is an attack on Iraqi soil, we consider it our duty to defend Iraq. Shengal has been emancipated by paying huge prices. We declare that we will defend these lands to the last drop of our blood.

This is our call to the people of Iraq and the region, especially our people: Let's develop our own self-defence organization around the YBŞ and YJŞ forces in the 8th year of the 73rd Massacre. Let's prevent invasion attacks and protect our freedom.

We also say this to global public opinion: As an ancient people of these lands, we will continue to live in our own lands with our own culture and belief, just as we have done for thousands of years. The support provided to ISIS by the fascist Turkish state, which has been carrying out genocide attacks against the culture, history and belief of our people, is well known. Hence, global public opinion and the peoples of the world should try the Turkish state in an International Court. We call on all democratic peoples, human rights organizations and European states to step into action on the issue. We say that the Turkish state should now be prosecuted for its inhumane policies in the region.”