Pope Francis met with the head of the Yezidi community in the world, Tahsin Said Ali Beg, and its spiritual leader, Skeikh Kato.
Both traveled to Rome from the Iraqi Kurdistan to inform the Pope on the hard situation Yezidis still face in Iraq. Along with Christians, this ethnic minority is the target of the Islamic State's violence.
They told Pope Francis about 50,000 Yezidi women turned into slaves by terrorists. They also thanked him his concern for the persecuted minority.
'He comes from Syria and visits you saying 'The Pope is father of us all, the father of the poor.â?
The Pope assured them his prayers and closeness. He hopes all Christians and Yezidis may return to their houses soon.
Roughly a million and a half people form the Yezidi community in the world. The majority of them lives in Iraq, followed by Turkey, Georgia and Armenia.
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