ERBIL - Kurdish top leaders have congratulated Yezidis in the Kurdistan Region and around the world on the eve of their new year known as Red Wednesday, reaffirming their support for the religious minority group.

Celebrating their new year, also referred to as the Red Wednesday or Charshama Sor, Yezidis gather yearly for the occasion at their holiest site, the temple of Lalish in Duhok province, Kurdistan Region.

Kurdish prominent leader and President of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Masoud Barzani, sent a congratulatory message to the Yezidis and extended his "warmest congratulations", hoping that they will celebrate their occasion with happiness.

Barzani further expressed concerns over the continued instability in Sinjar which prevents the displaced Yezidis from returning to their place of origin, and reiterated his "full" support for their rights and demands.

President Nechirvan Barzani also congratulated the Yezidis, particularly the families of the victims of terrorism who still live in camps, reminding that the occasion comes while the Kurdistan Region, similarly to other parts of the world, is facing the coronavirus, urging the citizens to abide by the official guidelines.

The Kurdish president further asserted that "we are ready and will continue to do everything necessary to liberate" those Yezidis who were abducted by the Islamic State (IS) in Sinjar in 2014.

Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, in the meantime, sent his "best wishes" to the Yezidi community, hoping that "this year will be blessed and joyous, and mark an end to the suffering of our society’s most vulnerable."

"On this occasion, I also take the opportunity to reaffirm the Kurdistan Regional Government recognises the struggles of the Yezidi people and their just demands and will maintain efforts to provide a better quality of life. Our government continues to work on assisting a safe and dignified return home for thousands of displaced people, and is contributing to the reconstruction of their areas along with the Iraqi government and the international community," PM Barzani said in a statement released by his office.

"We are also hopeful to see a new push for peace and stability with the implementation of the Shingal Agreement and the withdrawal of militias and illegal armed forces from the city. The security of the people remains our priority in this new year."

BasNews