Islamic State in Iraq free elderly Yazidis
The Islamic State (IS) militant group has freed at least 200 members of the Yazidi religious community in northern Iraq. The group of mainly elderly Yazidis crossed out of IS-controlled territory and were received by Kurdish officials near the city of Kirkuk. It is not yet clear why militants released them. IS attacked the Yazidi minority community […]The Islamic State (IS) militant group has freed at least 200 members of the Yazidi religious community in northern Iraq. The group of mainly elderly Yazidis crossed out of IS-controlled territory and were received by Kurdish officials near the city of Kirkuk. It is not yet clear why militants released them.
IS attacked the Yazidi minority community in Iraq last year, killing and abducting thousands of people. Almost all of those released on Saturday were elderly or unwell, said Reuters. An early estimate of their numbers was put at 350, but later reports said there were some 200 in the group. The group, including several sick infants, were taken directly by Kurdish Peshmerga forces to a health centre for treatment.
