Editor's note: this story was translated from the original VOA Kurdish article.
Years after the territorial defeat of the Islamic State militant group, hundreds of Yazidis remain missing in Syria, an issue made more complicated by clashes earlier this year between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Syrian government forces, as well as the closure of the al-Hawl camp.
Before the recent instability affecting the SDF, the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) and the Yazidi House Center, which advocates for Yazidi rights in Syria, had helped rescue more than 400 members of the Kurdish-speaking religious minority who were abducted by members of the Islamic State (IS). But more than 2,600 Yazidis remain missing, and search-and-rescue efforts have been halted since the beginning of 2026.
At the Yazidi House headquarters in the northeastern Syrian region of Rojava, cases of more than 900 Yazidi families remain open as relatives wait for information about their missing children and women.
The al-Hawl refugee camp, which once housed family members suspected of having ties to IS, was emptied in February this year. Dozens of missing Yazidis may have been transferred to other camps across Syria, according to reports.
The Yazidi House Center and Syria’s Ministry of Justice have held discussions about finding and releasing Yazidis currently in Syrian detention. Ismail Delf of the Yazidi House Center said the organization has information indicating that some missing Yazidis are believed to be in Syrian camps.
“We have confirmed the presence of dozens of missing Yazidis in certain camps. We cannot disclose the names of the camps because there are still extremist groups that could relocate them,” Delf told VOA. “In cooperation with the National Commission for the Missing, we possess solid information, and we are optimistic that further meetings will soon be held to initiate practical steps.”
Delf also said the organization has submitted requests for the return of all missing Yazidis and that government authorities have pledged to cooperate.
Human rights organizations say that following changes in territorial control in Syria, the central government now bears legal and moral responsibility for developing a clear plan to locate missing Yazidis and return them to their families.
“Today, since the Syrian government exercises control over the entire territory of Syria, mere promises are not enough,” said Abbas Musa, coordinator of the Missing Persons Platform (MPFP) at the Synergy Organization.
“Comprehensive plans and practical steps on the ground must be initiated to resolve the issue of missing persons and protect the rights of these victims,” Musa told VOA.
Amid concerns that evidence about the whereabouts of the missing could be lost, and as new channels for dialogue emerge, about 900 Yazidi families in Sinjar and Rojava continue to wait for concrete action to determine the fate of their missing loved ones and reunite with those who are still alive.