Yazidis
The Yazidis , also spelled Yezidis (Kurdish: ئێزیدی , romanized: Êzidî ), are a Kurdish-speaking religious group indigenous to Kurdistan , a geographical region in Western Asia that includes parts of Iraq , Syria , Turkey , and Iran 1 . Here are some key points about the Yazidis: Origins and Identity : The Yazidis’ own name for themselves is Êzidî or, in some areas, Dasinî . Scholars and Yazidi circles debate whether the Yazidis constitute a distinct ethnoreligious group or a religious sub-group of the Kurds , an Iranic ethnic group. Yazidism is their ethnic religion, with roots in a pre-Zoroastrian Iranic faith. Religious Beliefs : Yazidism is monotheistic and includes elements from ancient Iranian religions, Judaism, Nestorian Christianity, and Islam. Since the early Muslim conquests, Yazidis have faced persecution by Arabs and later by Turks, often...