Iraqi lawmaker calls for urgent aid in Sinjar amid harsh winter conditions

SINJAR — Iraqi lawmaker Mahma Khalil has called on the government and humanitarian organizations to provide immediate assistance to the people of Sinjar amid severe winter conditions and a lack of essential services.

Khalil, a member of the Iraqi parliament representing Sinjar, said many residents face shortages of white oil and gas—both critical for heating—and added that weak infrastructure and inadequate public services have compounded the district’s struggles.

“The people of Sinjar deserve a better life,” he said, vowing to continue advocating for their rights until “justice is served and true development begins” in the district.

Sinjar is a district in Nineveh Governorate, located near the Syrian border. In August 2014, ISIS launched a large-scale attack on Sinjar, committing what has been widely recognized as genocide against the Yazidi people. Thousands of Yazidis were killed, and many women and girls were kidnapped and subjected to sexual slavery.

Sinjar was left in ruins following the ISIS occupation. Much of the district’s infrastructure was destroyed, and many displaced residents have struggled to return due to ongoing security issues, political disputes, and a lack of basic services.

Statement from MP Mahma Khalil:

With snowfall covering Mount Sinjar in a white mantle that adorns nature and enhances its beauty, this scene symbolizes divine generosity and brings joy and hope to the people.

However, behind this winter landscape lies another reality—the suffering of the people of Sinjar district, who endure the harsh cold with a severe lack of basic necessities and essential services.

These harsh conditions expose the extent of neglect faced by the district, where returning displaced families are still waiting for long-delayed resettlement grants. Residents also face severe shortages of white oil and gas, essential for surviving the freezing temperatures, alongside weak infrastructure and inadequate public services, making life even more difficult in these extreme conditions.

We remind the central government and relevant authorities of their responsibilities toward the people of Sinjar and call for the immediate disbursement of returnees’ entitlements, fair distribution of white oil, and serious efforts to rehabilitate infrastructure to ensure a dignified life for the district’s residents, who have endured immense hardships.

We also urge international organizations and humanitarian agencies to provide urgent assistance to the people of Sinjar, who are facing exceptional and severe conditions. Support at this critical time is a humanitarian and moral duty that cannot be delayed.

The people of Sinjar deserve a better life. As representatives of the Iraqi people, and of Sinjar in all its diversity, we will not stop demanding the rights of our people until justice is served and true development begins in this district, which has endured great sacrifices and paid a high price for its freedom and dignity.