Yazidis mark genocide date by starting temple project in Syria

Yazidi Foundation lays Cornerstone for new temple in Dukar villlage, Amuda, Syria.
Yazidi Foundation lays Cornerstone for new temple in Dukar villlage, Amuda, Syria.

By Nali Ali

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) –On Sunday, Yazidi leaders in northeastern Syria laid the foundation stone for a new temple in a symbolic act of remembrance marking the 11th anniversary of the Yazidi Genocide carried out by the Islamic State (ISIS) in 2014.

The ceremony took place in Dukar village, located in the countryside of Amuda, west of Qamishli, within the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). The initiative was led by the Yazidi Union in Syria and attended by delegations from the Yazidi Spiritual Council in Sinjar and representatives of the region’s diverse communities.

In August 2014, ISIS forces attacked the Sinjar (Shingal) region in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, killing and abducting thousands of Yazidis. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), over 400,000 Yazidis were displaced in what has since been recognized as a genocide.

“On the eleventh anniversary of the Yazidi Genocide, we chose to honor the victims through this foundational step—building a Yazidi temple in Amuda’s countryside,” said Ismail Delf, co-chair of the Yazidi House in Jazira region, speaking to North Press.

“This is more than a construction project—it is an act of moral justice,” Delf added.

Dukar was selected as the site for the temple due to its longstanding Yazidi heritage. The village is centrally located in the Jazira region and is surrounded by other Yazidi-populated villages near the M4 international highway, making it accessible to the broader Yazidi community.

The new temple will serve as a cultural and religious center for Yazidis across the region, many of whom remain displaced or recovering from the trauma inflicted by ISIS. The project also underscores the relative religious freedom and cultural support the Yazidi minority has found under AANES governance, especially after years of targeted violence.

Participants in the ceremony included members of the Yazidi diaspora from Europe, spiritual leaders from Sinjar, and representatives of various communities across North and East Syria, reflecting the region’s multiethnic character and ongoing efforts to foster coexistence and cultural preservation.

The temple is expected to become a focal point for religious gatherings and community life. Construction is scheduled to begin in the coming months.