BERLIN - Yazidis who sought refuge in Germany after surviving atrocities committed by the Islamic State (ISIS) fear they could be deported to Iraq as Berlin toughens its migration rules and anti-immigration measures grow in popularity across Europe.
Qasim Ismael, 23, arrived in Germany in 2023 but recently had his asylum application rejected. He now lives in one of the hundreds of detention centers across the country, awaiting deportation.
"For those of us from Sinjar, there is no future, especially under the Iraqi government," Ismael said, referring to the Shingal district in northern Iraq. "We have faced immense hardship and suffering, escaping near-death situations to arrive here."
He said he took an “arduous journey” to reach Germany and now does not know when he will be deported. “I'm staying in a camp, not daring to go out. I'm afraid I will be arrested and deported by the police,” he said.
Sunday marks 11 years since ISIS launched its surprise attack on Shingal, initiating a campaign of systematic killings, enslavement and rape of thousands of Yazidis. The United Nations and the German parliament, the Bundestag, have recognized the attack as genocide.
Although ISIS has been driven out, much of Shingal remains devastated. The region still lacks basic services, security, and infrastructure, with rival militias and political factions vying for control. The lack of stability, reconstruction, and accountability has left many Yazidis unable to return home.
Last month, Germany deported 43 Iraqis, including a Yazidi family. A court ruled to stay their deportation, but the decision was not available until after their flight landed in Baghdad, DW reported. State authorities are now trying to bring the family back to Germany, but many Yazidis fear they could face the same fate.
"Thousands of people are awaiting deportation. It is estimated that between 5,000 and 10,000 individuals are under this order, and a great sense of fear prevails among them," said Erfan Ortaj of the Yazidi Advisory Council.
"They are unable to return because the basic conditions for a dignified and peaceful life do not exist in Sinjar," he added.
The deportation of Yazidis has sparked strong criticism from center-left parties.
"It is an unbelievable mistake that Yazidi families still have to live in fear of being deported because, quite objectively, they are not safe," said Katharina Droge, parliamentary co-leader of the Greens.
"Of course, Yazidi people in Germany rightly expect to have safety and protection here," Droge said. "As the Green parliamentary group, we are calling for a stop to deportations of Yazidi people, and we urge the federal government to implement this now."
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