Yazidism in Syria

Yazidism in Syria
Total population
10,000-50,000
Regions with significant populations
Aleppo Governorate, Jazira Region
Languages
Kurmanji Kurdish

Yazidism in Syria refers to people born in or residing in Syria who adhere to Yazidism,[1] a strictly endogamous religion.[2][3] Yazidis in Syria live primarily in two communities, one in the Al-Jazira area and the other in the Kurd-Dagh.[1] Exact population data of Yazidis in Syria is unavailable, but it is estimated that between 10,000-50,000 Yazidis reside in Syria.[4]

 
People
Population
  • Homeland
History

Ancient

Karduchian dynasties

Corduene
Zabdicene
Cyrtians
Moxoene

Medieval

Modern
Culture
Languages
Religion
Part of a series on the Yazidi religion
Yazidism
Main topics
The Heptad
List of Yazidi holy figures
Holy places
Festivals
Literature

Population numbers for the Syrian Yazidi community are unclear. In 1963, the community was estimated at 10,000, according to the national census, but numbers for 1987 were unavailable.[5] There may be between about 12,000 and 15,000 Yazidis in Syria today.[1][6] Since 2014, more Yazidis from Iraq have sought refuge in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria to escape the genocide of Yazidis by ISIL.[7][8][9] In 2014, there were about 40,000 Yazidis in Syria, primarily in the Al-Jazirah.[10]

Following the extension of the Turkish occupation of northern Syria into the Kurdish-majority Afrin District, reports have emerged of Yazidis in demographically mixed villages of the Kurd-Dagh region being targeted by the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) because of their religious identity,[11] as well as having their shrines desecrated.[12] As in October 2019 Turkey invaded the north eastern part of Syria; several Yazidi villages have been targeted and their inhabitants fled to the region still under the control of the AANES.[13] Kidnapping of Yazidi women and girls by the SNA is an ongoing problem.[14][15][16]

Notable Syrian-Yazidi people

See also

Further reading

  • Maisel, Sebastian (2017). Yezidis in Syria: Identity Building among a Double Minority. Lexington Books. ISBN 978-0-7391-7774-7.

References

  1. ^ a b c Allison, Christine (February 20, 2004). "Yazidis i: General". Encyclopædia Iranica. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
  2. ^ Açikyildiz, Birgül (December 23, 2014). The Yezidis: The History of a Community, Culture and Religion. I.B.Tauris. ISBN 9780857720610.
  3. ^ Gidda, Mirren (August 8, 2014). "Everything You Need to Know About the Yazidis". Time. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  4. ^ Mosul, A. view of a Yazidi temple in Lalish some 50 kilometersnorth of the Iraqi city of; May 11; Zhumatov, 2003-REUTERS/Shamil (October 18, 2013). "Yazidis Benefit From Kurdish Gains In Northeast Syria - Al-Monitor: Independent, trusted coverage of the Middle East". www.al-monitor.com. Retrieved April 10, 2024. {{cite web}}: |first3= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Federal Research Division. Syria. "Chapter 5: Religious Life". Library of Congress Country Studies. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
  6. ^ Commins, David Dean (2004). Historical Dictionary of Syria. Scarecrow Press. p. 282. ISBN 0-8108-4934-8. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
  7. ^ Sly, Liz (August 10, 2014). "Exodus from the mountain: Yazidis flood into Iraq following US airstrikes". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  8. ^ Chulov, Martin (August 11, 2014). "Yazidis tormented by fears for women and girls kidnapped by Isis jihadis". The Guardian. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  9. ^ Krohn, Jonathan (August 10, 2014). "Iraq crisis: 'It is death valley. Up to 70 per cent of them are dead'". London: The Telegraph. Retrieved August 12, 2014.[dead link‍]
  10. ^ Khalifa, Mustafa (2013), "The impossible partition of Syria", Arab Reform Initiative: 3–5
  11. ^ Thomas McGee, 'Nothing is ours anymore' – HLP rights violations in Afrin, Syria (2019) in Reclaiming Home: The struggle for Socially Just Housing, Land and Property Rights in Syria, Iraq and Libya 132.
  12. ^ Frantzman, Seth. "Turkey's occupation of Syria slammed for ethnic cleansing". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  13. ^ Ahmado, Nisan (October 16, 2019). "Hundreds of Yazidis Displaced Amid Turkey's Incursion in Northeast Syria | Voice of America - English". Voice of America. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  14. ^ Hagedorn, Elizabeth (June 2, 2020). "'An insult to women' everywhere: Afrin kidnappings prompt calls for investigation of Turkey-backed rebels - Al-Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East". www.al-monitor.com. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  15. ^ Frantzman, Seth (June 8, 2020). "Kurdish woman reportedly murdered in Turkish-occupied Afrin". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  16. ^ Kajjo, Sirwan (June 10, 2020). "Rights Groups Concerned About Continued Abuses in Afrin | Voice of America - English". Voice of America. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  17. ^ سترانا "دایکا من" ئا هۆنەرمەندێ ئێزیدی "ئیبراهیم خەلیل" وێ ل نێزیک ب کلیب ئێتە بەلاڤکرن