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Playing for time. How Ameen Mokdad resisted ISIS destruction
One day, when Ameen Mokdad was 10 years old, he found his father hard at work in their home in Mosul, Iraq. In June 2014, the extremist jihadi group ISIS took over Mosul, and Mokdad suddenly found himself living under their occupation. Music was banned under the Islamic State, but Mokdad continued to play in secret as Michael Levitt and Ari Shapiro report for NPR .
Armenia to recognize 3rd August as Day of Commemoration of Yazidi Genocide
The Armenian Parliament voted this week to designate August 3rd as the official commemoration day for the victims of the Yazidi Genocide. The bill submitted by ethnic Yazidi MP Rustam Bakoyan passed the first reading with 88 votes in favor. Armenia will thus become the first country after Iraq to enshrine this into law. “Genocide is a crime against humanity, and it is the biggest crime. This is a direct result and a direct consequence of incorrect and improper condemnation of the Armenian Genocide in 1915. The destinies of Armenians and Yazi…
Kosovo charges man for crimes against Yazidi women and girls
Kosovo’s Special Prosecution on Friday said it has indicted a Kosovo citizen for alleged crimes against Yazidi girls and women while fighting in Syria and Iraq during 2014-2017. In a press release, the prosecution said the suspect with initials M.D. has been charged with crimes against humanity and serious violations of laws of armed conflicts. “These charges were committed against girls and women of the Yazidi community during the conflict in Syria and Iraq during 2014- 2017 and this criminal case has now been transferred to the Special Dep…
Mosul discoveries brought to light in new documentary
In 2014, Mosul fell under the control of ISIS (also called Daesh). During its three-year reign, the militants destroyed artifacts and buildings saying they were forms of idolatry. As the CBC news channel explains, they also targeted sites for looting and to get attention, filming the destruction and sharing it in propaganda videos online. But ISIS’s actions inadvertently created opportunities. Sifting through the wreckage after ISIS’s occupation, archaeologists have gained new insights into this great ancient city. The city of Mosul in no…
First German Kurdish film festival gives voice to the Yazidi community
Düsseldorf, Germany, introduces the first Kurdish Film Festival (DKFF) , offering a vital platform for Kurdish cinema and spotlighting the Yazidi community. As Medya News reports, this event running from 25-28 April, underscores the urgent need to preserve and evolve the Kurdish language, culture and history, under long-standing political repression. Kurdish filmmakers and artists safeguard their community’s cultural identity through works that double as both artistic expressions and historical documents. Their films not only delve into the K…
