Wajdi Zidane, the young displaced whose ears were cut off after being tortured and anesthetized, is currently in a bad mental state and has dropped out of school, while his family are unsatisfied since his case has not been determined yet.
Zidane, 18, was attacked on June 1, 2022, late at night, near the Sharia camp for Internally Displaced Persons IDP in Duhok Northern Province. He dropped out of school last month after being desperate for treatment and punishment, making his family concerned about his psychological status.
Wajdi's father, Zidane Ali, is concerned that his son's case has been "neglected" and, as he says, "the case has not been taken seriously. "
“That's why he dropped out of school. His mental state is getting worse day by day. Despite the efforts of his friends and teachers, he is not ready to go back to school," Ali desperately said.
"I'm tired of everything and I can't study," Wajdi, who is in his second year of high school, told his father.
I was tired of everything and couldn't study
The family has spent 20 million Iraqi dinars IQD (16,000 American Dollars USD) for their son's treatment, but according to Fares Ali, Wajdi's uncle, who told KirkukNow earlier, "The doctors told him that he will have to undergo another surgery which costs $20,000, which it is too much for our family. We are all displaced and poor.”
Wajdi is an Ezidi from the village of Siba Sheikh Khidra in Shingal (Sinjar) district. However, since August 2014 when the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria ISIS tookover Shingal and large swathes of Iraq, he has been living with his family in Sharia camp in Sumel district of Duhok.
Wajdi has three brothers and three sisters, and he is the eldest. His father is a soldier of the Iraqi army.
The camp is located in Sumel sub-district near Duhok, home to 2,325 IDP families.
Zidane went to the Sharia community near his camp with several friends to watch a football match at 10 pm on June 1st, 2022. After the game, he was attacked by three men on his way home at 12 pm and his ears were cut off.
“Before he reached the Sharia camp, they first boxed him in the stomach and head until he fainted. When he woke up, both his ears were cut off,” his father then said. "The government has ignored my son's case and has not helped us," he said.
Three people were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the incident, but were later released, according to KirkukNow follow up.
"They said the three men were not the main perpetrators," the father said.
They said the three men were not the main perpetrators
“The police and security agencies are not giving us any information about the case.
The local police declined to comment on the developments in the investigations.
Hemn Sulaiman, spokesman for the Duhok police general directorate, who initially arrested three people on the case, declined to comment on the issue.
Despite the family confirmation that they had no any problems with any one, local officials believe the case is social feud and they have given them chance to sort out between both families.
“This is a social problem between two families. Both families know who cut off both ears of Wajdi. We don't want to get involved in this issue,” said Dian Jaafar, director of the Duhok Migration and Crisis Response Office.
"The problem between the two families was supposed to be resolved through the (political) party, but it has not been fully resolved yet.”
Wajdi's father, says he is unaware of the social problems and asks the security agencies for more information.
"We have informed the camp administration and organizations to help them. We have done more than what was on our shoulders," Jaafar added.
