The historic centre of the Yazidi community is located 50km north of Mosul but feels a million miles away from the war and violence. Young people take pictures of themselves on their phones while others sit around enjoying a picnic. This happy and peaceful scene on a summer day takes place in the spiritual heartland of northern Iraq’s Yazidi community in mountainous Lalish.
Middle East Eye recently visited Lalish in Nineveh governorate, Iraqi Kurdistan. Here, 50km north of Mosul, lies the mausoleum of Sheikh Adi bin Musafir, the 12th-century founder of Yazidism.
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