Ain Sifni

Ain Sifni
Kurdish: Şêxan‎
city
Ain Sifni

Location in Iraq

Coordinates: IQ 36°41′30″N 43°21′00″E / 36.69167°N 43.35000°E / 36.69167; 43.35000Coordinates: IQ 36°41′30″N 43°21′00″E / 36.69167°N 43.35000°E / 36.69167; 43.35000IQ
Country  Iraq
Autonomous region  Kurdistan
Governorate Dohuk Governorate
District Shekhan

Ain Sifni (Syriac: ܥܝܢ ܣܦܢܐ‎, Arabic: عين سفني‎, Kurdish: Şêxan‎, also called Shekhan) is an Assyrian village. It is also one of the primary holy towns of the Yazidis and the seat of the Shekhan District in the Dohuk Governorate province in Iraqi Kurdistan.[1]

The town is mainly populated by Kurds and a small minority of Assyrians. The Kurdish dialect of Kurmanji, along with Arabic and Neo-Aramaic are spoken in the town.[2] Prior to the Kurdistan, the town was the second largest population center of the Yezidis.

History

Beginning on August 10, 2014, Yazidi refugees have been fleeing to the town and Lalish from Sinjar through Syria after the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant placed that city under siege.[3][4][5]

Etymology

The name of the town comes from Aramaic, the language spoken by the native people of the town, the Assyrians. Its name comes from the words "aina," meaning "[water] spring," and "sapanna," meaning "sailor." The name of the town means "[water] spring of the sailor."

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Basic information about Shekhan District" (PDF). Christian Aid Program in Iraq. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 25, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  2. ↑ "What you did not know about Iraq’s Yazidi minority". Al Arabiya News (Al Arabiya Network). Al Arabiya Institute for Studies. August 11, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Iraq crisis: the last stand of the Yazidis against Islamic State". The Telegraph. August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  4. ↑ Soguel, Dominique (August 12, 2014). "World Middle East A sanctuary for Iraqi Yazidis – and a plea for Obama's intervention". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
  5. ↑ Spencer, Richard (August 13, 2014). "Iraq dispatch: terrified Yazidi people seek refuge inside holy temple". The Telegraph (Telegraph Media Group Limited). Retrieved August 13, 2014.


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