Baghdad: The Turkmen bloc, led by Arshad al-Salihi in the House of Representatives, has called for crucial amendments to the existing Survivors Law. This move aims to ensure that communities such as the Turkmen, Shabak, Yazidi, and others who faced abduction and abuse by ISIS are adequately covered, particularly focusing on individuals under the age of 18.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Arshad al-Salihi emphasized the current law’s inadequacy, highlighting that it fails to encompass a significant portion of the Turkmen children who were kidnapped from the Tal Afar district. This group includes numerous girls and children who were under 18 at the time of their abduction.

Tal Afar was notably the first district to fall to ISIS following Mosul on June 15, 2014. This tragic event preceded the fall of Sinjar and other regions, resulting in the abduction of many Turkmen women, particularly girls and children under 18. Sadly, the whereabouts of many of these kidnapped women remain unknown.

In his statement, the head of the Turkmen bloc urged the Speaker of Parliament and the leaders of political and parliamentary factions to consider the amendment proposed by the Presidency of the Republic. This amendment to the Survivors Law seeks to ensure that children under 18 from the Turkmen, Yazidi, Christian, Shabak, and other affected communities are granted justice and compensation for the crimes and violations they endured.