Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Monday called on the Iraqi federal government to implement the Sinjar Agreement and accelerate efforts to restore stability in the district, as he addressed a ceremony marking the 12th anniversary of the Yezidi genocide and the Sinjar massacre.

The commemoration was attended by the Yezidi Prince, Baba Sheikh, a representative of the Iraqi Prime Minister, the head of the Chaldean Catholic Church in Iraq and the world, as well as diplomats and senior government officials.

In his speech, Barzani paid tribute to the sacrifices of the Peshmerga forces under the leadership of President Masoud Barzani, saying their military campaign liberated Sinjar within 100 days of its occupation by ISIS and helped restore the dignity of the Yezidi community.

Highlighting the Kurdistan Regional Government's humanitarian response, Barzani said around 3,500 abducted Yezidis had been rescued, while more than 2,700 people remain missing. He added that the government continues to support survivors through financial assistance, including grants for female survivors and scholarships for Yezidi students to continue their education.

The Prime Minister thanked the Global Coalition against ISIS, non-governmental organizations, and countries that supported displaced Yezidis. He also praised the people of the Kurdistan Region for hosting those forced to flee, while expressing concern that more than 20,000 Yezidi families are still living in displacement camps.

Barzani also acknowledged the cooperation of the Iraqi federal authorities in locating mass graves and coordinating with the Kurdistan Regional Government to return the remains of victims to their hometowns.

Renewing his appeal to Baghdad, the Prime Minister called for the implementation of the Sinjar Agreement to normalize conditions in the district, facilitate the safe and dignified return of displaced residents, restore local administrative and security responsibilities to the people of Sinjar, provide compensation for victims, and continue reconstruction efforts.

On accountability, Barzani said the Kurdistan Region had worked with the United Nations and the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da'esh/ISIL (UNITAD) to establish a specialized international tribunal to prosecute ISIS members. He expressed disappointment over the lack of cooperation from Iraq's previous federal government but said he remained hopeful that such a court would eventually be established to ensure justice for the victims.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed the Kurdistan Region's commitment to working with its international partners and the Iraqi federal government to prevent the return of terrorism and violent extremism.

Concluding his remarks, Barzani stressed that "terrorism has neither religion nor nationality," emphasizing that justice and equality are essential to preventing future atrocities.

"Our people are exhausted and need peace more than anything else," he said. "Our children should not have to live in fear."

He urged that the anniversary serve as a renewed commitment to ending suffering and ensuring a dignified future for all the people of Kurdistan and Iraq.