ANKARA - HDP Foreign Relations Co-spokespersons condemned the killing of Shengal Autonomous Administration Executive Council Co-chair Merwan Bedel in an airstrike in Shengal with a drone belonging to Turkey. The Co-spokespersons asked, ‘’What does the government of Turkey want from the Yazidi people?’’

 

Shengal Autonomous Administration Executive Council Co-chair Merwan Bedel was targeted and killed in the attack carried out yesterday with a drone belonging to Turkey in the Xanesor region of Shengal. While the reactions continued after the attack, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Foreign Relations Commission Co-spokespersons Feleknas Uca and Hişyar Özsoy also condemned the attack with a written statement.

 

‘How can you explain the killing of civilians?’

 

In the statement, it was stated that the massacre that took place together with the attack was shown as a war crime. Noting that the massacre means the continuation of the genocide that ISIS could not complete, the statement said, ‘’Such attacks against the Yazidis are a violation of international law, attacks are inhuman and immoral. Previously, a hospital in Shengal was targeted with an airstrike and eight people lost their lives. The Yazidi Kurds in Shengal have not posed any threat to anyone, including Turkey, and have been subjected to 74 genocide attempts in their history. The last genocide attack was carried out by ISIS. Obviously, there are those who have a desire to complete the work that ISIS has left unfinished. We are asking openly: What does the government of Turkey want from the Yazidi people in Shengal? How can you explain the bombing and killing of civilians with their kids?’’

 

A call for solidarity with the Yazidi people

 

In the statement, which requested the international community, including the international coalition established to fight against ISIS, to investigate these attacks with all their dimensions. The statement said, ‘’We call on the Iraqi government to take necessary measures so that such attacks do not happen again, and invite everyone who calls themselves human beings to be in solidarity with the Yazidi people, who are giving the life and death struggle as honorable’’.