American Committee on religious freedom: armed groups destroyed yazidi religious sites and forced yazidis in Afrin to convert to Islam
Jan Mohammad
In its annual report, the American Committee on international religious freedom (USCIRF) called for Syria to be designated one of the worst States in the world for religious freedom, in addition to the fact that Iraq and Egypt are on a special watch list.
Syria is home to alawites, Shia Muslims , as well as Yazidis, Jews and Christians, and a report by the American Committee on international religious freedom notes continued violations against minorities by radical groups, including (ISIS).
Most Yazidi religious sites in Afrin were destroyed or looted, and their contents stolen.
The report stated that "the number of Yazidis in Syria is decreasing due to “THE ISIS” attack on yazidis. Mass executions and sexual slavery continue, noting that -" Human rights organizations have documented armed terrorist groups that destroy religious sites and force Yazidis in the Afrin region to convert to Islam."
The report concludes that a notable exception to Syria's position as a country that harms religious freedom is the Kurdish-led self-government in North-Eastern Syria, where the region has seen an increase in religious freedom in the past year, according to the report.
The Agency recommended that 11 new countries, including Egypt and Iraq, be included in the us state Department's checklist, noting that religious freedom in the middle East is under threat.
It is worth noting that the USCIRF is a Federal, independent, and bipartisan U.S. government Committee established under the freedom of international religion Act of 1998 to monitor the global right to freedom of religion and belief abroad using international standards to do so, and making policy recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress.
Source ezdina.com
Tags: #yazidisinfo #ezidi #news #religiousyazidi
