Yazidis mark New Year across Iraq and Syria amid ongoing challenges

Yazidis across Iraq and Syria celebrated their New Year on Wednesday with rituals that honour creation and light. In Iraq, thousands gathered at Lalish, the community’s holiest site, lighting lamps and offering prayers. In Syria, smaller celebrations took place near Qamishli, with music, dance, and traditional customs. Yazidis are an ethno-religious minority with ancient roots in Mesopotamia. They have faced years of displacement, especially after ISIS targeted them in 2014 with mass killings and abductions in Sinjar. Today, over 200,000 Yazidis remain in camps in northern Iraq, and reconstruction of their towns remains stalled. Despite the hardships, the New Year remains a moment to gather, preserve identity, and call for lasting return and recovery.