Yazidi Families Survive ISIS Attack But Face Uncertain Future

Last month’s advance by the militant Islamic State group (also known as ISIS or ISIL) in northern Iraq forced more than 100,000 people to flee their homes – including the Yazidi minority of Sinjar. Many of those newly displaced made their way to Erbil, Iraq, where they joined tens of thousands of Syrian refugees already seeking shelter in the city. There, they are struggling to get by. Aid agencies are working hard to locate the new arrivals who are living scattered across the city. The displaced often arrive not knowing where to go for help. Some find refuge with family members or friends, but others simply have no option but to settle in one of the city’s public spaces. Many of them lack food, water, and healthcare, and are living in makeshift shelters and unfinished buildings dangerously exposed to the elements, even as winter rapidly approaches.