On Aug. 3, 2026, in the city of Almaty, Kazakhstan, a ceremony was held to mark the 11th anniversary of the Shingal massacre. The gathering took place at the Plaza Hotel Almaty.
The ceremony was attended by Azizê Zio Badrkhan, President of the Kurdish Union of Kazakhstan; Jamalê Eli Ibrahimov, owner of the Plaza Hotel Almaty; and representatives from the Berbang Association, including Vice Presidents Agaliê Niyaz Ibrahimov, Ibrahimê Flet Mamedov, and Muradê Flet Shamilov.
Also in attendance were Sartifê Letif Aliev, Chairman of the Arbitration Committee; Jamila Suliman Babayeva, Chair of the Women’s Committee; Gulnara Ali Alieva, Head of the Cultural Committee; Asmara Jamal Shanidze, Deputy Chair of the Cultural Committee; Arzu Ali Mamed Oglu, Deputy Chair of the Women’s Committee; activist Eduard Mamed Suleimanov; and representatives of the Yazidi Kurdish diaspora in Kazakhstan, Davudê Jelil Sloyan and Mirabê Tengiz Rashoyev, who addressed the tragedy of Shingal.
Azizê Zio Badrkhan, President of the Kurdish Association of Kazakhstan, stated that the Shingal massacre has had a devastating impact on all Kurds, especially the Yazidi community.
For the Kurds of Kazakhstan, this day marks a tragic point in history, and today, they honor the victims with deep respect.
The event began with a minute of silence. The keynote speakers, Gulnara Ali and Arzuê Ali, provided a legal analysis of the historical event. Prominent figures such as Askerê Boyik, Tosnê Rashid, and Sheikh Mraz participated via video conference.
Today marks 11 years since the genocide of the Yazidi Kurds, during which more than 5,000 Yazidis were murdered at the hands of ISIS in Shingal. Thousands of women and children were abducted and held captive, and hundreds of thousands were displaced. Furthermore, due to the conflict, 80% of the city and villages of Shingal were destroyed. Thousands of Yazidi Kurds fled to Mount Shingal and other regions in South and West Kurdistan to save their lives from the brutal terrorist organization. To this day, thousands of Yazidis continue to live in displacement camps.
On behalf of the Berbang Association, we extend our deep gratitude to Mr. Jamalê Eli Ibrahimov for his support in organizing this event.
Source: Kurdish Union of Kazakhstan (Berbang).