Remembering the Kocho Massacre

By August 15th, 2014, ISIS had already taken control of most of the Sinjar region and encircled the village of Kocho. The internationally declared genocide resulted in the murder of hundreds of innocent men, violent separation of families, abduction of women and children, massacre of the elderly, and forced displacement of the entire Kocho community.

It has been nine years since the Kocho massacre and the community still bears the trauma. Today, most former Kocho residents lack access to education, livelihoods, clean water, and healthcare due to the devastating destruction of their village. Kocho community members deserve justice, support to rebuild, and memorialization initiatives to honor those who were lost and heal through collective remembrance.