Justice for the Yezidis: ISIS and Crimes of Genocide

On August 3, 2014, the Islamic State attacked the Yezidis of Sinjar in Iraqs Nineveh province. Thousands of Yezidis were massacred and many others abducted, while more than half a million fled for their lives. Three years later, the conditions that led to ISISs rise and the failure to prevent genocide and crimes against humanity against the Yezidis, Christians and other ethnic and religious minoritiesincluding the collapse of local governance and securityhave not been addressed. The successful political reconstruction of Iraq and Kurdistan depends on the ability to ensure justice and fair treatment for the regions most vulnerable populations. The ideological and political struggle against the Islamic State requires bringing its fighters to justice for their crimes not only of terrorism, but also of genocide. Though this process has just begun, to date, thousands of captured ISIS fighters have been accused of terrorism, but not one of them has been charged or tried for their crimes of genoci