In a momentous move, the United Kingdom’s government has formally acknowledged the heinous acts committed by the Islamic State (IS) group against the Yazidi people in Iraq as acts of genocide. The declaration was made in advance of significant events scheduled in Baghdad, commemorating the nine-year anniversary since the IS group initiated its campaign of atrocities, specifically targeting the Yazidi minority.
The U.K. Foreign Office, in an official statement on Tuesday, underscored the gravity of the situation. The recognition of genocide followed a groundbreaking ruling by the German Federal Court of Justice. This historic ruling found a former member of IS, who was also known by its Arabic acronym Daesh, guilty of perpetrating genocide and crimes against humanity.