ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has urged the international community to help children who have been subjected to years of brainwashing and military training by ISIS after the extremist group released a propaganda video claiming to depict two Yezidi suicide bombers. The head of the KRG’s Yezidi affairs office described the children as “time bombs,” saying that they pose a threat to the world. 

"Unfortunately, we several times through the media have urged the world that they are like time bombs, if they are not defused they will explode in Europe or somewhere else. Therefore we have asked for many times to help them escape even if it is through particular operations,” said Khairi Botani.

"These children are actually brainwashed and so far 10 of them have been sent to Germany in accordance with a joint program between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the German government to receive physiological treatment in order to bring them back to their normal life," he added.

Botani made his comments in response to a new ISIS propaganda video purportedly showing two Yezidi boys carry out suicide attacks.

Two Yezidi boys appeared in the 30 minutes long video, speaking in Kurdish. The two are brothers from Shingal. In the video, they recalled the time when they were in Shingal, saying that they had been living in ignorance and worshiping Satan, but after studying under ISIS they converted to Islam and registered their names as suicide bombers.

The video ends with footage of two apparent car bombs, reportedly being driven by the two boys. It is not clear as to who they targeted and where it took place.

Speaking about the video footage, Botani told Rudaw that more than 1,000 Yezidi children are still being trained by ISIS at their military bases in Iraq and Syria. 

"To our knowledge, more than 1,000 Yezidi children are being trained by ISIS. They indoctrinate them in the Islamic Sharia and Jihad theoretically and practically. And they also teach them the means of killing and how to carry out suicide attacks practically," said Botani.

He added that his office has so far been able to rescue 13 of these children.