Yazidi Families in Aleppo Issue Urgent Appeal as 1,200 Households Face Violence and Displacement

ALEPPO — Hundreds of Yazidi families living in the predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiyeh in Aleppo have issued an urgent plea for protection amid escalating violence that they say is threatening their communities. The appeal was released on Wednesday, January 6, 2026, and highlights fears of forced displacement, heavy shelling, and possible mass atrocities.

According to the statement, more than 1,200 Yazidi families currently reside in these areas, many of whom are now facing repeated bombardment and eviction from their homes. The Yazidi residents have called on Yazidi authorities and community leaders — including the Yazidi Spiritual Council in Iraq and Yazidi representatives in the Iraqi Parliament — to intervene immediately.

In their appeal, the families urged international bodies, humanitarian organizations, and Syrian authorities to act swiftly to prevent further bloodshed and protect civilians. They emphasized that the situation endangers not only their safety but also the future of Yazidi cultural and religious identity in the region.

“We call on you to intervene without delay and contact the relevant parties in Syria and the international community … to prevent a massacre of the Yazidis who are besieged or displaced,” the statement said.

The families also expressed deep concern that the violence could evolve into widespread persecution, comparing their fears to recent tragedies in other parts of Syria. They stressed that their religious differences should not make them targets of violence or ethnic cleansing.

The appeal comes amid reports of intensified clashes and insecurity in Aleppo, where local officials have described a deteriorating humanitarian situation affecting civilians.