Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Thursday, Jul 24, 2025

US Welcomes Baghdad’s Decree to Return Housing, Land to Yezidis in Sinjar

US Welcomes Baghdad’s Decree to Return Housing, Land to Yezidis in Sinjar

US Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski welcomed on Saturday a joint statement by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Sudani and the UN to return housing, land, and property rights to Yezidis in Sinjar and other areas.
The Sinjar district, in the Nineveh governorate, is home to the largest concentration of Yazidis in Iraq.

In 2014, ISIS group militants seized Mount Sinjar, and went on to slaughter thousands of Yazidi men and women.

“We welcome the joint statement by PM Al-Sudani and the UN on the government’s decree to return housing, land, and property rights to Yezidis. Proud of US role in funding UNHABITAT program since 2018 that will help thousands of Yezidis return home,” the ambassador wrote in a tweet.

A joint statement was issued Friday by Iraq’s Prime Minister and the UN on the decision to grant Yazidis ownership of their lands in Sinjar after 47 years of denial.

“On 27 December, the Iraqi cabinet approved a decree that contributes to a comprehensive solution for Yazidis with regards to land ownership. The decree grants ownership of residential lands and houses to the occupants of 11 residential collective townships,” the statement said.

“Thousands of Yazidi families in the Sinjar district of Nineveh Governate have been deprived of owning their residential lands since 1975, due to discriminative policies,” the joint statement said.

Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert welcomed “the critical step taken by the Iraqi government, which finally brings the security of tenure to thousands of Yazidis in relation to their housing, land, and property rights.”

She added: “The decree constitutes an official recognition of the ownership of their lands and houses, ends decades of discrimination, and will hopefully ease and encourage the return of Yazidis to Nineveh.”

Since 2018, UN-Habitat has been addressing the land and property rights of Yazidi minorities in Sinjar by registering more than 14,500 claims and issuing land occupancy certificates to prove the occupancy rights of displaced persons.

Commenting on the decree, former Yazidi MP Saib Khadar told Asharq Al-Awsat that the decision to own property is the best thing that happened to the Yazidis in the last two decades.

“It is an achievement and the credit goes to Al-Sudani’s government and the United Nations,” he said.

Commenting on the number of Yazidis displaced to the Kurdistan region from Sinjar, Khader added: “More than half of those Yazidis have not returned to their homes, but the ownership decree can contribute to the return of many of them.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
×