Several Dutch jihadists have been involved in crimes against Yazidis in Syria and Iraq. This is the opinion of two research organizations that are collecting statements from victims in the region.
In 2014, the terrorist group IS committed genocide against the Yazidi people living in northern Iraq. Thousands of men were murdered, women and children were taken to IS territory and enslaved there. Women were systematically raped, boys were used as child soldiers.
Two years ago, this site first reported that a Dutch jihadist, Ojone I., was involved in those crimes. The Yazidi woman Layla Taloo said in an interview that she had to do the household as a slave for the Dutch. She was also raped by the Danish husband of the Dutch.
Now two (private) committees argue against the research program Argos that there are more explanations. “I can’t say anything substantively about it yet, but it concerns more than one Dutch person,” says Jela Keyany in the program. Keyany works for CIGE in Iraq, a committee that was set up by the local authorities and has built up a database with the testimonies of thousands of Yazidis.
We are in contact with a number of victims and two of them have mentioned the names of their perpetrators. Dutch men and women.
Hope Rikkelman, an employee of the Dutch Jezidi Legal Network, also states that statements have been added. “We are in contact with a number of victims and two of them have named their perpetrators. Dutch men and women. We will not share names as long as there is an investigation.”
Argos also spoke to Layla Taloo. She repeats the accusation against the Dutch Ojone I. Taloo also says that after the story on this site she was never approached by the Dutch police or the Public Prosecution Service to make a statement. Former Minister Stef Blok of Foreign Affairs previously stated in a letter to parliament that ‘The Netherlands is committed to actively approaching the Yazidi community to collect witness statements that can serve as a burden of proof in proceedings to be conducted at a later date’.
Since 2012, about three hundred Dutch people have traveled to the conflict zone in Syria and Iraq, 65 of whom have since returned to the Netherlands. None of them have been convicted of crimes against the Yazidis. Ojone I. escaped from a detention camp in Syria last year and is now missing.
Argos can be listened to on Saturday at 2 p.m. on NPO Radio 1.
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