ERBIL - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani released a statement on the sixth anniversary of the Islamic State (IS) genocide against the Kurdish Yezidis in Sinjar and reaffirmed that the autonomous region will "continue its efforts to restore peace and stability in Shingal."
"On this day, we reiterate that the Kurdistan Region will continue its efforts to restore peace and stability in Shingal, reconstruct it and turn the area into a governorate. For this purpose, the Kurdistan Region will fully cooperate and coordinate with the federal government in Baghdad and the governorate of Mosul," reads the statement.
Prime Minister Masrour Barzani also released a statement to honor the anniversary and pointed out that all sides should assist in reconstructing Sinjar and normalizing the situation in the Yezidi majority populated region.
To make this happen, he argued, the area should be protected jointly by Erbil and Baghdad and all other armed groups and militias should leave the region.
PM Barzani further said that they also honor the memories of the 'Peshmerga heroes' who sacrificed their lives to liberate Sinjar under the direct leadership of the then President Masoud Barzani, thanking the people of Kurdistan Region for assisting the Yezidis.