Armenia deeply concerned over violence against Yazidis in Iraq – Armenian president’s press secretary

YEREVAN, August 20. /ARKA/.  Armenia is deeply concerned with numerous reports of casualties and violence against Yazidi population in northern Iraq, says the statement by Armenian president’s press secretary Arman Saghatelyan.

Violence against any ethnic or religious minority and against Ezidis in Iraq in particular is absolutely unacceptable, and the international community should take measures to stop it and provide humanitarian aid to those in need, the statement says.

 

Saghatelyan said Armenia’s president instructed the foreign ministry and the diplomatic missions to intensify their efforts for bringing up the issue on the international stage in a proper and consistent manner.

The press secretary also said the president discussed increasing the scope of Armenia’s humanitarian aid with the premier.

Islamic State militants having fought in Syria till recently have started attacking the northern and western regions of Iraq. Mass executions, kidnappings, beheadings and other atrocities have been reported during the group’s bloody rampage through northern Iraq, Reuters says. Kurdish and Iraqi forces assisted by US air strikes have had some success in recent weeks reclaiming territory from the militants, who have threatened to march on the capital Baghdad.  Barack Obama approved the first American air strikes since the end of the occupation in 2011 earlier this month, saying the US could not “turn a blind eye” to genocide. The attacks started as part of humanitarian efforts to help thousands of trapped Yazidis flee Mount Sinjar and have continued to help Kurdish and Iraqi forces drive back the jihadists.

Yazidis are ethnical Kurdish, but with a different religion that is a mix of paganism, ancient Hindu-Iranian beliefs, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. A total of 60,000 Yazidis live in Armenia today. –0—