Germany classes Islamic militants' crimes against Yazidis as genocide

German lawmakers have recognised as genocide crimes committed by so-called Islamic State militants against minority Yazidis in Iraq in 2014.

The jihadist group is accused of killing thousands of Yazidis, enslaving up to 7,000 of their women and girls and displacing most of the 550,000-strong community from their ancestral home.

The Yazidis are an ancient religious minority mainly based in eastern Syria and northwest Iraq.

They were viewed by the Islamic State militants as 'devil worshippers' for their faith which combines Zoroastrian, Christian, Manichean, Jewish and Muslim beliefs.