ISIS took the control of Ninova on June 8, 2014, and of Mosul on June 10. After ISIS declared the establishment of a caliphate on June 29, they attacked Shengal on August 3. Girzerek, Siba Şex Xidir and Til Azer villages were first attacked villages. Thousands of KDP-affiliated Peshmerga forces and the Iraqi army withdrew from the region and left the civilians unprotected. Nearly 7.000 women and children were abducted and sold at slave markets.

The fighters of the People's Defense Units (YPG) and Women's Defense Units (YPJ) protected the civilians against the attacks on Shengal. The People's Defence Forces, the military wing of the PKK, and the Free Women's Units (YJA Star) played a great role to clear ISIS from the region. A group of fighters entered Shengal after the genocide and opened humanitarian corridors for more than 200.000 people. People went to safe areas after passing through the corridor opened for ten thousand Yazidis, who took shelter on Mount Shengal.

·         Just after August 3, 2014, Yazidis formed Sinjar Resistance Units (Kurdish: Yekîneyên Berxwedana Şengalê‎; YBŞ). Shengal was liberated on November 13, 2015, by the YBŞ with the support of the YPG and YPJ. In 2016, Yazidi women formed their defense unit named Êzîdxan Women's Units (YJŞ).

·         “ISIS has committed the crime of genocide against Yazidis,” said the United Nations Human Rights Council in its 2016 report. Several countries have already recognized the crimes committed by ISIS against Yazidis as genocide. Yazidi women have launched campaigns to demand the crimes against Yazidis be recognized as genocide by all countries.