Barzanis were originally Yezidis who in 19th century converted to the Sufi or mystical form of Sunni Islam.
Numerous women and children of the Barzani tribe fled to Turkey meanwhile about 250 men stayed to defend their homeland.
Between 1932 and 1934 the Iraqi Army together with the Royal Air Force attacked and destroyed 79 villages in the Barzan area.
On 10 April 1947, the Iranian Army launched attacks on the Barzanis with tanks and artillery which led to 5000 men, women and children fleeing and returning to Iraqi Kurdistan, where they were imprisoned and held captive for between 2 and 12 years.
[9] In July and August 1983, by the orders of President Saddam Hussein[10] over 8,000 men and boys of the Barzani tribe, some as young as 13, were killed by the Ba'athist Iraq.