The Democratic Society Movement (TEV-DEM) made a statement regarding the Iraqi army's attacks on Shengal in partnership with the KDP.

The statement said: "The Kadhimi government decided to send the Iraqi army to Shengal with the support of panzers, howitzers, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles provided by the Turkish state. As a result, clashes erupted with Shengal Resistance Units (YBŞ) and Êzîdxan Asayish. These attacks are carried out within the scope of the security and military agreements directly reached with the fascist invading Turkish state and the KDP. These attacks aim to break the will of the entire Yazidi community in Iraq and Kurdistan. At the same time, the attacks aim at excluding the Yazidis from the political, economic, social and cultural projects in Iraq.”

TEV-DEM said that is no coincidence that “the Iraqi army's attacks on Shengal are happening at the same time as the attacks carried out by the invading Turkish state. These joint attacks are against the will of our people, who have seized the opportunity of self-government with their resistance and war against the biggest terrorist organization, ISIS, on behalf of all humanity.”

The statement continued: “There is a new genocide planned against Yazidi women and children. This is very dangerous and leads to systematic war."

TEV-DEM emphasized that despite all the meetings and efforts made by the Shengal Executive Council with the political parties and religious movements of Iraq, the Kadhimi government appears to follow the same goal of the Baath party against the Yazidi.

We all have a historical responsibility

At the end of its statement, TEV-DEM called on the Kurdish forces, the people of Kurdistan, legal organizations, civil society, the Bave Sheikh and the Yazidi Spiritual Assembly to tell the Yazidi community against new dangers and the imposed war. “We must gather our autonomous forces to protect the Yazidis. Defending Shengal and protecting its values and culture is a historical responsibility and it is our duty."