Yazidi UPDATES genocide has occurred and is ongoing

[Anthea]

Yazidi woman freed in US-led operation

A Yazidi woman was freed after more than four months of efforts which were complicated due to the difficult security situation in Gaza

A 21-year-old woman kidnapped by Islamic State militants in Iraq more than a decade ago was freed from Gaza this week in an operation led by the United States and involving Jordan and the Baghdad government, Iraqi and US officials said.

The woman is a member of the ancient Yazidi religious minority mostly found in Iraq and Syria which saw more than 5,000 members killed and thousands more kidnapped in a 2014 campaign that the UN has said constituted genocide.

She was freed after more than four months of efforts that involved several attempts that failed to due to the difficult security situation resulting from Israel's offensive in Gaza, Silwan Sinjaree, chief of staff of Iraq's foreign minister, told Reuters.

Officials did not provide details of how she was eventually freed, and Jordanian and US embassy officials in Baghdad did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A State Department spokesperson said the United States on Oct. 1 "helped to safely evacuate from Gaza a young Yezidi woman to be reunited with her family in Iraq."

The spokesperson said she was kidnapped from her home in Iraq aged 11 and sold and trafficked to Gaza. Her captor was recently killed, allowing her to escape and seek repatriation, the spokesperson said.

Sinjaree said she was in good physical condition but was traumatized by her time in captivity and by the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. She had since been reunited with family in northern Iraq, he added.

More than 6,000 Yazidis were captured by Islamic State militants from native Sinjar region in Iraq in 2014, with many sold into sexual slavery or trained as child soldiers and taken across borders, including to Turkey and Syria.

Over the years, more than 3,500 have been rescued or freed, according to Iraqi authorities, with some 2,600 still missing.

Many are feared dead but Yazidi activists say they believe hundreds are still alive

https://www.newarab.com/news/yazidi-wom ... -operation

[Anthea]

$400 Million to Rebuild

The International Coalition Against Islamic State (ISIS), led by the United States, announced on Saturday a $400 million allocation to support the rebuilding of areas in Iraq and Syria that were liberated from ISIS control.

In a statement, the coalition emphasized its commitment to helping war-torn communities recover and rebuild. "The coalition is providing nearly $400 million to Iraq and Syria to assist in rebuilding devastated areas, supporting peace, and promoting development," the statement read, noting the importance of continuous efforts to prevent ISIS's resurgence.

The coalition also welcomed the Maldives as its latest member, bringing the total number of participating countries to 87. The group stressed the importance of international cooperation in countering terrorism and rebuilding areas affected by ISIS, underscoring the need for global unity to maintain security.

This funding comes as part of ongoing efforts by the coalition to restore stability in regions previously held by ISIS, focusing on humanitarian aid and infrastructure rebuilding to ensure long-term recovery.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/862518

Should be at least 10 billion and even that would not cover the cost of what the Yazidis have been going through for more than 10 years

Plus the fact that most of the psychical damage to buildings and land was actually done by the coalition as they followed US's idea of "Bomb everything and let god sort them out"

[Anthea]

Kurdish Leaders Congratulate

Yezidis on Jema Festival

Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), extended his heartfelt congratulations on Saturday to the Yezidi community on the occasion of the Jema festival

In his message, Barzani highlighted the importance of overcoming all obstacles to restore stability in Sinjar, so that Yezidis can return to their normal lives. Barzani expressed his well-wishes to Mir of the Yezidis, the Yezidi Spiritual Council, and all Yezidis in Kurdistan and worldwide.

He underscored the need to eliminate the hurdles preventing the restoration of peace in Sinjar, which has been impacted by ongoing instability

Barzani stated: "It is crucial to overcome all obstacles and factors hindering the normalization of life in Sinjar, so that Yezidis can return to their peaceful lives." He also emphasized the strength of unity and coexistence in Kurdistan.

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani also sent a message of congratulations, expressing his hope for peace and happiness for the Yezidi people. He reiterated the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) continued support for the rights and protection of the Yezidi community, affirming the government's commitment to ensuring their welfare and rebuilding efforts.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/862527

[Anthea]

Swedish Woman on Trial for Yezidi Genocide

A 52-year-old Swedish woman, Lina Laina Ishaq, went on trial in Sweden on Monday, facing charges of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes for her involvement with the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria

The accusations relate to her actions against Yazidi women and children during the period between August 2014 and December 2016, when she lived in Raqqa, the de facto capital of ISIS’s so-called caliphate.

This marks the first time that crimes committed by ISIS against the Yezidi minority are being prosecuted in Sweden. The trial, expected to last two months, will be largely held behind closed doors at Stockholm District Court.

Ishaq is accused of holding and abusing nine Yezidi captives, including children, at her home in Raqqa, where they were treated as slaves.

According to prosecutor Reena Devgun, the victims were subjected to “sexual slavery, forced labor, deprivation of liberty, and extrajudicial executions,” as part of ISIS’s campaign to annihilate the Yezidi ethnic group.

One of the allegations includes the abuse of a baby, where Ishaq reportedly silenced the infant by covering its mouth.

The charges claim that Ishaq sold some of her captives to ISIS militants, fully aware that they could face execution or severe sexual abuse. She has denied all accusations.

The Islamic State abducted thousands of Yezidi women and children in 2014 during its assault on the Sinjar region of Iraq.

The victims were trafficked to Syria, where many women were forced into sexual slavery, and boys were indoctrinated by ISIS.

Ishaq was arrested in Turkey after fleeing there with her son and two children she had with an ISIS fighter from Tunisia.

She was later extradited to Sweden, where she had previously been convicted of taking her 2-year-old son to Syria in 2014. At the time, she claimed she had only planned to visit Turkey but crossed into ISIS-controlled territory once there.

Her identification was made possible through evidence provided by a U.N. team investigating war crimes in Iraq (UNITAD).

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/862701

[Anthea]

Turkey attacks Shengal

In repercussions for attack in Turkey yesterday, Turkey has attacked more than 32 sites connected to the PKK

The Turkish state bombed houses where civilians live in the village of Barê and the town of Dîgur in Xanesor, Shengal.

The Turkish state launched an attack on Shengal with Armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

According to information received, at around 23:30 local time, houses where civilians live in the village of Barê and the town of Dîgur in the district of Xanesor were bombed, and a woman named Întisar Xwedêda Elî Mirad was injured as a result of the attack.

PKK and it's affiliates should NOT be in Shengal

The Yazidis have suffered enough, leave them alone, do not remain there and make them targets for the Turkish state

PLEASE REMOVE ALL MILLI ANT GROUPS FROM YAZIDI LAND

[Anthea]

Turkey bombs Shengal at least 16 times

The Turkish state bombed ten regions in Shengal at least 16 times on Thursday night

Local sources stated that the Turkish state continued to bomb Shengal with warplanes and drones.

Ten regions in Shengal were bombed at least 16 times on Thursday night. No information was available as to the consequences of the bombings, but it was stated that more places may have been hit.

According to initial information, the targeted regions are as follows:

– Çil Mêra and Amûd: 4 times

– Girê Şehîd Şengal (center of Shengal): 2 times

– Sikêniyê: Once

– Girê Şehîd Sîpan: Once

– Hey Nasir Neighborhood: Once

– Sîba Şêx Xidir: 2 times

– Xeta Ereban: 4 times

– Şilo Valley: Once

The PKK and it's off-shoots do not belong in Shengal, nor do any other armed militant groups

The Yazidis have suffered enough, I politely request that the PKK and it's off-shoots remove themselves from Yazidi land

The innocent Yazidis deserve to live a peaceful existence and should not have to worry about being targeted by Turkish bombs due to the presence of PKK and it's off-shoots

[Anthea]

Germany grants Yazidis residency

Germany’s Schleswig-Holstein state has passed a law granting residency to Yazidis who sought refuge in the country, thereby preventing their deportation

“Today, in the Schleswig-Holstein Parliament in Germany, as the CDU, we have decided that those who arrived here in 2014 without being granted residency should now be given this right. We are very pleased with this decision as a party,” Seyran Papo, a member of the state parliament from the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU), told Rudaw.

“My faction and I believe that we must not only protect these Yazidis, including women and children, but also show them a clear prospect for their future without fear of deportation,” she added.

The largest Yazidi diaspora is in Germany, numbering more than 200,000.

Last year, the German parliament (Bundestag) recognized Islamic States (ISIS) crimes against Yazidis as genocide. However, the government has increased its efforts to deport asylum seekers whose applications had been rejected, including some Yazidis.

“In 2023, all factions within the German parliament collectively decided to recognize the Yazidi genocide as genocide. Unfortunately, we are now seeing that some regions in Germany are once again troubling Yazidis and returning them to their homes. For this reason, we have decided to grant them permanent residency, and we hope that other regions in Germany will adopt the same decision,” Papo said.

Germany deported 222 Iraqi citizens in the first three months of 2024, a spokesperson for the Interior Ministry told Rudaw earlier this year. Of those, 169 were sent back to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region and 53 went to other countries where they had been before coming to Germany.

“Without a doubt, we want to support and protect the Yazidis in our state… It is our wish that Yazidis can live safely and securely in our state and in Germany. This means halting their deportations,” Aminata Toure, minister of social affairs, youth, family, senior citizens, integration and equality for Schleswig-Holstein, told Rudaw.

Elsewhere in Germany, two Kurds, Sahap Dag and Telim Tolan, were awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany by the country’s president in recognition of their support for the Yazidi community in Germany for over two decades.

Speaking to Rudaw’s Diaspora program, Dag, who is also the head of the Association of the Yazidis in Lower Saxony, expressed his gratitude to the German president and people for the award and their support of the Yazidi community.

Dag also said that the Yazidis were pleased by the decision in Schleswig-Holstein.

“The recent decision of the Schleswig-Holstein state parliament in Germany was heartwarming, granting residency rights to Yazidis who came to Germany after 2014, although some have still not received their residency rights,” he said.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/world/261020242

Heartbreaking that due to certain militia groups who have invaded Yazidi lands, after 10 years Yazidis are still too frightened to return to their homeland

[Anthea]

Yezidi wins third term in Georgian Parliament

According to initial results announced by Georgia's Central Election Commission on Oct. 26, the ruling "Georgian Dream" maintained its majority in parliament, with Daseni successfully retaining his seat

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Isko Daseni, a Kurdish Yezidi politician from Georgia, has secured his third consecutive term in the Georgian Parliament following preliminary results from Saturday's parliamentary elections.

According to initial results announced by Georgia's Central Election Commission on Oct. 26, the ruling "Georgian Dream" maintained its majority in parliament, with Daseni successfully retaining his seat.

Political Career Milestones:

- First elected to parliament on Oct. 8, 2016, as a Georgian Dream candidate

- Won re-election on Oct. 31, 2020, for his second term

- Secured historic third term on Oct. 26, 2024

Daseni, born on March 30, 1958, in Tbilisi, has made history as a representative of Georgia's Kurdish Yezidi community, consistently serving in the country's legislature since his first election in 2016.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/80 ... parliament

[Anthea]

Director of group that helps refugees

arrested for sexual assault

The head of a Manitoba non-profit organization that helps Yazidi women and girls who escaped ISIS has been arrested for sexual assault

Hadji Hesso, executive director of the Yazidi Association of Manitoba, was charged on Oct. 4, the Winnipeg Police Service told Global News.

Hesso was arrested following a complaint by a woman who escaped the ISIS genocide of Yazidis in northern Iraq and resettled in Winnipeg.

“I was really scared,” she told Global News, which is not identifying her because she is an alleged victim of a sexual crime.

The alleged sexual assaults occurred repeatedly at the association’s premises in July and August, according to the charges filed in court.

Another director of the association, who asked not to be identified by name, confirmed that Hesso remained the non-profit’s executive director.

“We’re not taking any actions until it’s been proven that either he did this or he didn’t,” she said. “Right now, it’s accusations, and there hasn’t been any proof.”

“So we’re waiting.”

The Ethnocultural Council of Manitoba, where Hesso is listed as a board member, did not respond to questions. Nor did Hesso’s lawyer.

Although Hesso was initially released following his arrest, he allegedly failed to comply with a condition that required him not to communicate with the complainant.

He was then arrested again on Oct. 17.

According to an online profile, Hesso is originally from Iraq and spent a decade in a refugee camp in Syria, until a church group brought his family to Manitoba.

Hesso worked for Winnipeg Transit Plus, which provides door-to-door transportation for those unable to use the transit system due to a physical disability.

The City of Winnipeg said he was a contract driver but “we can advise that the individual is not providing services to Winnipeg Transit Plus at this time.”

Hesso is also a key figure in his Winnipeg-based non-profit, set up to assist members of Iraq’s Yazidi religious minority, which ISIS attempted to wipe out.

Beginning in 2014, ISIS committed one of the worst crimes against humanity of recent times. After surrounding Yazidi villages scattered around Mount Sinjar in northern Iraq, ISIS fighters gave residents an ultimatum: convert or die

It then executed thousands of men and kidnapped women and girls as slaves, while boys were taken to ISIS camps and turned into child fighters.

Canada formally declared that ISIS was committing genocide against Yazidis in 2016, and in 2017, resettled 1,200 survivors, including women and girls.

The Yazidi Association of Manitoba was formed in 2017, “to advocate, represent and absorb refugees of the Yazidi minority in Canada,” its Facebook page says.

The group’s advocacy has focused partly on women and girls, many of whom suffered gender-based sexual violence under the so-called Islamic State.

During an appearance at the Parliamentary standing committee on immigration in 2017, Hesso urged the government to “resettle vulnerable Yazidi women and girls here in Canada.”

“Females aged 12 and up have been used as servants, sold to many different people, and forced to watch videos of ISIS killing Yazidi men on a daily basis,” he testified.

Many of the women and girls who have arrived in Canada have been going through a difficult time. It’s severe, and it varies from person to person.”

He said he worked with settlement agencies in Winnipeg to “provide socializing for those who are isolated, as well as some transportation services and interpretation.”

The Association’s events attracted both Liberal and Conservative MPs, photos on social media show. Hesso and his group were also mentioned in the Manitoba legislature.

“Being a refugee is devastating,” he was quoted as saying in an online profile. “It is a situation you never want to experience. When you have to flee your country, you lose your identity.

“And when you are accepted in another country, you are starting from zero. It is hard getting an education, a job, raising a family in a new country and culture when your mind is still in the country and culture you came from.”

The president of the Yazidi Association of Manitoba declined to comment.

[Anthea]

Kurdish President Barzani extends condolences

Shafaq News/ On Saturday, Nechirvan Barzani, the President of the Kurdistan Region, extended his condolences upon the passing of Yazidi Prince Hazim Tahsin Beg’s cousin.

"I extend my condolences to the family and relatives of Ms. Suzan Mirza Beg and to the Yazidi community,” President Barzani stated. “We pray that God grants her soul peace and provides patience and solace to all.”

https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/Kurdish ... e-s-cousin

[Anthea]

Yazidi woman reunites with family

after 10 years ISIS captivity

A 26-year-old Yazidi woman taken into captivity by the Islamic State (ISIS) 10 years ago has been reunited with her family, the Yazidi Rescue Office announced on Tuesday

Asia Kamal was only 16 years old when the militants took her to an unknown location in Iraq before she was transferred to Syria, only to be enslaved for 6 years and then taken to a neighboring country where she was found and rescued.

Asia’s father Kamal Chato burst into tears as he embraced his rescued daughter in their Yazidi hometown of Shingal (Sinjar) in Nineveh province.

"I was never expecting to see my father again," Asia told Rudaw, beaming joyfully.

Asia was found in an undisclosed third country with the help of the Office for Rescuing Abducted Yazidis, which is affiliated with the Kurdistan Region Presidency.

"As we promised, we will continue to investigate the whereabouts of the abductees. Mr. [Kurdistan Region President] Nechirvan Barzani's instruction is to investigate the matter as long as there is any abductee left,” Hussein Qaidi, head of the office, said on Tuesday in a press conference.

The office did not disclose Asia’s last location where she was found for security concerns as efforts to rescue more kidnapped Yazidis are ongoing.

ISIS kidnaped her along with thousands of other women and girls during the militants' ruthless assault on Shingal in 2014 when they seized control of large swathes of land in Iraq and Syria in a brazen offensive.

"I'm very grateful to God that I saw my daughter again. I pray all the remaining girls to be rescued," said Asia’s father Kamal.

At least 30 people from Kamal’s family fell into the clutches of ISIS, Qaidi said, adding that 28 of them have been rescued.

ISIS overran Shingal town and surrounding areas in 2014, abducting 6,417 women and children, forcing a large number of them into sexual slavery and labor.

While the group was declared territorially defeated in 2017 and 2019, respectively, it still continues to pose serious security risks through hit-and-run attacks, bombings, and abductions, especially across the vast expanses of the Syrian desert as well as several Iraqi provinces.

3,581 Yazidis have been rescued, while 2,590 people are still missing, according to Qaidi.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/06112024

[Anthea]

Yazidi leader Mir Jahoor Ali Beg

Mr Beg calls on Kurdistan’s political parties to prioritize national interests over partisan agendas

Shafaq News/ On Thursday, Mir Jahoor Ali Beg, the deputy leader of the Yazidi community in Iraq and worldwide, urged political factions in the Kurdistan Region to prioritize the collective interests of Kurdistan and the nation above partisan objectives.

“The people have entrusted political parties with their votes for the good of Kurdistan,” Ali Beg told Shafaq News Agency. “It is essential that all parties come together at the negotiation table to achieve Kurdistan’s higher interests and swiftly form a new government.”

Ali Beg emphasized the importance of putting Kurdistan’s welfare above narrow party agendas, calling for unity among all factions to advance the common Kurdish interest.

On Thursday, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and the British Ambassador to Iraq underscored the need for cooperation among political groups to form the next Regional Government.

Despite the readiness of the two main parties, negotiations for government formation have not yet commenced.

The recent legislative elections, held in October, resulted in the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) retaining their status as the leading political forces in the Kurdistan Region, setting the stage for the formation of the Region’s sixth parliamentary government.

https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/Yazidi- ... an-agendas

[Anthea]

Over 300 return to Shingal

More than 300 people residing in camps in Duhok province have returned to their homes in Shingal after years of displacement

“The Minister of Migration and Displacement Ms. Evan Faeq Jabro, announced the return of 326 displaced persons from the Mam Rashan camp in Duhok province in the Kurdistan Region to their original areas of residence in Shingal district in Nineveh province,” the ministry said in a statement.

Ali Abbas, spokesperson for the ministry, told Rudaw on Thursday that the families received a monetary benefit and some household appliances to encourage their return.

The Iraqi government wants to close all the camps and has offered four million Iraqi dinars (about $3,050), a fridge, a stove, and a television to families who voluntarily return to their homes.
(For all the horrors Yazidis have been through and the ten years of suffering all they receive is a miserly $3,050), a fridge, a stove, and a television, DISGUSTING and SHAMEFUL)

According to the United Nations International Organization for Migration, there are 1,053,038 internally displaced persons (IDPs) across the country, primarily in Duhok, Erbil, Nineveh, Kirkuk, and Sulaimani provinces as of August. It has documented 4,897,129 people who have returned to their homes after the defeat of the Islamic State (ISIS).

So far this year, about 70,000 people have returned to their homes, according to the UN figures.

Despite the incentives, many families are reluctant to leave the camps because of continued violence in their hometowns, a lack of reconstruction following the destruction of their homes, and little in the way of basic services. Some who voluntarily left have been forced to return, unable to piece together the basics

Many of the camps in the Kurdistan Region suffer from a lack of funds, as the humanitarian focus has shifted from emergency response to development and stabilization.

Human rights advocates have expressed concern about Iraq’s push to close the camps, stressing that all returns must be safe, voluntary, and dignified.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/08112024

[Anthea]

Young Yazidi man martyred in

Turkish airstrike in Shengal

An unmanned aerial combat vehicle (UCAV) targeted a car in the Yazidi town of Shengal (Sinjar)

The driver of the car lost his life as a result of the attack while on his way to the Serdesht region.

The victim was identified as Kerim Hecî Şero, a young Yazidi man from the Zendini tribe. He came from the Tilizêr district and lived in the Sinûnê sub-district of Shengal.

The young man’s body was delivered from Sinûnê Hospital to Mosul Forensic Medicine for post-mortem examination.

Turkish attacks on Shengal ongoing since 2017

Under the pretext of "fighting the PKK", Turkish warplanes and drones have repeatedly carried out airstrikes on Shengal since 2017. The specific targets are mostly institutions that were founded in the wake of the ISIS genocide.

In a wave of attacks by warplanes and UCAVs, the Turkish state bombed a total of 16 points in Shengal on 24-25 October, killing six fighters of the Shengal Resistance Units (YBŞ).

On 8 July, the vehicle of journalists who went to Til Qeseb town of Shengal to conduct interviews on the 10th anniversary of the 3 August 2014 genocide was attacked in the centre of Shengal on their way back. Çira TV reporter Medya Hasan Kemal, Çira FM reporter Murat Mirza Ibrahim and vehicle driver Xelef Xidir, along with 3 other people who were at the scene, were injured in the attack

Another Turkish aerial attack on 8 March killed Mecdel Hesen Xelef, a commander of Shengal Resistance Units (YBŞ) and survivor of the ISIS genocide in 2014. The drone bombed a checkpoint near Til Êzêr where he was working. He was 32 years old and left behind a wife and son.

A few days earlier, civilian Sadun Mirza Ali had been killed by a Turkish drone in Shengal. The man was the father of three children and worked as a driver for the autonomous administration's committee for the martyrs. At the end of December, five workers from Western Kurdistan were killed in a drone attack in Shengal.

The Yazidi settlement area Shengal in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq is the last contiguous settlement area of the Yazidi community. Thousands of Yazidis were murdered and thousands of women and children were taken prisoner in the 3 August 2014 onslaught on Shengal by ISIS militants

[Anthea]

200,000 Yazidis remain displaced

Approximately 200,000 Yazidis remain in the Kurdistan Region due to instability in their hometown of Shingal amid preparations for a significant census in the country. Kurdish officials have outlined ways to be registered in their hometown

Hussein Qaidi, head of the office for rescuing abducted Yazidis, told Rudaw on Sunday that nearly 360,000 Yazidis were displaced from their hometown of Shingal (Sinjar) to 21 camps in the Kurdistan Region following the Islamic State (ISIS) attack in 2014, noting that around 200,000 of them have yet to return to their homes.

Situation in Shingal is not stable

The Iraqi government has encouraged Yazidis to return to their homes and offered them incentives but lack of basic services and security has hindered the process.

Guhdar Mohammed Ali, head of the technical and field division of the Kurdistan Region’s census team, told Rudaw that families from Kirkuk, Shingal, or other areas now residing in the Kurdistan Region can have one family member return to their hometown to register the rest if they present the family’s ration food form and national identification cards to the enumerator.

“A Yazidi from Shingal who resides in Erbil will be registered in Erbil, but the form will only indicate that he was originally born in Shingal,” Ali said.

He stressed that the “right thing to do is for the whole family members to return to their cities if they have the opportunity.”

The census will be conducted nationwide on November 20 and 21, during which a curfew will be imposed to facilitate a full count. The process has raised concerns among some Kurdish officials about how suspected demographic shifts in disputed areas will be reflected in the count.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on Thursday declared a week-long public holiday to enable its civil servants and students, who are original residents of the disputed areas, such as the oil-rich province of Kirkuk, to return to their cities in order to participate in a crucial nationwide population census which is vital for the future of these territories.

Kurds have been forced out of oil-rich Kirkuk and other disputed areas through Baathist-era Arabization processes and the events of October 17, 2017, when the traitor Bafel Talabani handed over control of Kirkuk and the disputed areas to Iraqi federal forces

A census could contribute to the resolution of many problems like Baathist-era Arabization, the status of the disputed Kirkuk province, and the KRG’s share of the federal budget.

In a bid to address the Kurdish concerns, earlier this month the Iraqi government approved a KRG request to conduct the census based on residents’ place of origin rather than their current place of residence, using information from the Iraqi migration ministry and the 1957 census for reference in the disputed areas. The census will also not gather information on ethnicity.

Iraq last conducted a census in 1997, excluding the provinces of the Kurdistan Region. The last census involving the Kurdistan Region was in 1987.

Estimates now put Iraq’s population around 50 million. A census planned for 2020 was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Iraq commenced its first phase in September by surveying and counting buildings.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/171120244