Iraqi Yazidis celebrate their New Year

Thousands of Yazidis celebrated their religious new year at the ancient Yazidi temple at Lalesh in northern Iraq on Tuesday evening, (19 April). New Year was on Wednesday, (20 April), but celebrations are held on the eve. Lalesh is the holiest Yazidi shrine in Iraq and in the world.The Yazidis are a religious minority group indigenous to northern Iraq, primarily living in and around the Sinjar region. They follow an ancient religion that combines elements of Zoroastrianism, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, and they have faced persecution and discrimination for centuries. Despite these challenges, the Yazidis have managed to preserve their unique culture, traditions, and beliefs.