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The Yazidi Kurds of Iraq

The Yazidi Kurds of Iraq, numbering approximately 666,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Kurdish-speaking ethno‑religious minority whose traditional homeland spans northern Iraq, northern Syria, southeastern Turkey, the Caucasus, and parts of Iran. They mostly adhere to Yazidism and Northern Kurdish is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite: Yazidi Kurd

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Persian-Median Peoples
Country: Iraq
People Cluster: Kurd
Primary Language(s): Northern Kurdish (kmr)
Primary Religion(s): Yazidism
Population: 666,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG048854
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Pray for the Yazidi Kurds of Iraq

Join others around the world in praying for the lost to be saved, the gospel to advance, the global Church to grow, and for laborers to be sent out and sustained in the harvest.

Pray Now!
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Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Yazidism
Religious Affiliation: Ethnoreligion

100%
%
Yazidism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Northern Kurdish
Language Family: Indo-European

100%
%
Kurdish, Northern Speakers

Media Resources in Northern Kurdish:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film
JESUSView Film
MagdalenaView Film
MagdalenaView Film

4 films

Provided by the Jesus Film Project

View all resources

Bible Resources in Northern Kurdish:

Bible Name (Translation)VideoAudioText
2019 Kurdish Literature Association✓✓✓
2005 United Bible Society✓
Transcaucasia✓✓✓
Transcaucasia✓✓✓

4 entries

Provided by Faith Comes by Hearing

Or check out the Northern Kurdish bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

View all resources

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Yazidi Kurds are Engaged yet Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations but there are sustained efforts at establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Next steps for the Yazidi Kurds:
Continue prayer and fasting for this group
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people

Pray specifically for the Yazidi Kurds of Iraq

And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
readMatthew 6:7-8

Pray that those who don't have a relationship with their Creator will come to know a God who hears their every need, freeing them from empty rituals and drawing them into a real, trusting relationship with Him.

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.
readPsalm 127:3

Pray that God will bless this generation of children, that they will come to know Jesus early in life and follow Him always.

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.
readRomans 10:12

Pray that as people from different backgrounds place their faith in Christ, they will be unified by their faith Him.

You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.
read2 Corinthians 1:11

Pray that many people will join in praying for the spread of the gospel here, and that God will answer these prayers by drawing more people to Himself.

Yazidi Across Countries (ROP3 - 116305) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

4 people groups

PhotoPeople Group IDNameCountryPopulationStrategic Progress IndexLanguage ▲Religion
Yazidi KurdsPG024035Yazidi KurdsArmenia35,000Engaged yet UnreachedNorthern KurdishYazidism
Yazidi KurdsPG048854Yazidi KurdsIraq666,000Engaged yet UnreachedNorthern KurdishYazidism
Yazidi KurdsPG050358Yazidi KurdsUnited States1,100Unengaged and UnreachedNorthern KurdishYazidism
Yazidi KurdsPG050405Yazidi KurdsGermany101,000Engaged yet UnreachedNorthern KurdishYazidism

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

Peoplegroups.org relies on updates from the field and other organizations for much of our data, so if you have any updates, please contact us. We use various international naming standards. For a list of these standards and fields, visit our Data Standards section.

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