Genocide of Yazidis by the Islamic State

A genocide of Yazidis by the Islamic State was carried out in the Sinjar area of northern Iraq in the mid-2010s.[1][11][12] The genocide led to the expulsion, flight and effective exile of the Yazidis. Thousands of Yazidi women and girls were forced into sexual slavery by ISIL, and thousands of Yazidi men were killed.[13] About 5,000 Yazidi civilians were killed[5] during what has been called a "forced conversion campaign"[14][15] carried out by ISIL in Northern Iraq. The genocide began after the withdrawal of Iraqi forces and Peshmerga, which left the Yazidis defenseless.[16][17]

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Genocide of Yazidis by the Islamic State
Part of 2014 Northern Iraq offensive and the War in Iraq (2013–2017)
Images from top, left and right: Yazidi refugees receiving support from the International Rescue Committee. A member of the Assessment Team being greeted by locals. Bundles of water inside a C-17 Globemaster III before an airdrop by the United States Air Force.
Location	Sinjar, Iraq and Syria[1]
Date	August 2014 – 2017
Target	Yazidi people
Attack type	Genocidal massacre, ethnic cleansing, forced conversion, Genocidal rape, human trafficking for sexual slavery
Deaths	About 5,000 Yazidis killed by ISIL, according to the United Nations[2][3][4]
Injured	Unknown
Victims	4,200–10,800 kidnapped or captive[5]
Perpetrators	ISIL
Defenders	Peshmerga Iraqi Armed Forces Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve Kurdistan Workers' Party[6][7][8][9] People's Protection Units[6][7][8] Women's Protection Units Sinjar Alliance
Motive	Religious persecution[10]

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ISIL's persecution of the Yazidis gained international attention and led to the American-led intervention in Iraq, which started with United States airstrikes against ISIL. Additionally, the US, UK, and Australia made emergency airdrops to Yazidis who had fled to a mountain range. YPG and PKK fighters opened a humanitarian corridor to the Sinjar Mountains and helped the Yazidis.[18] By 2015, ISIL's actions against the Yazidi population had resulted in approximately 500,000 refugees.[19][20]

The genocide has been recognized by several bodies of the United Nations[1][11] and national and multi-national organizations.