HELPING IRAQ’S PERSECUTED

In late August 2014, Yazidi ethnics fled the Sinjar region of northern Iraq as Islamic State militants moved in. Unlike many Iraqi Christians who fled, the Yazidis were targeted for extermination.

Christians in Mosul and surrounding villages near Mosul were given the option to convert to Islam, remain under sharia law and pay a jizya tax, leave, or be killed. The Yazidis were not given a choice. Many of their men were murdered around Mount Sinjar. Boys were killed or forcibly conscripted into the ISIS army. Women and girls were taken away to be used as sex slaves.

Clean Drinking Water

185,000 Yazidis fled to the northern Kurdistan city of Zakho near the border with Turkey. A URI humanitarian worker met with some of them and asked what they needed. Many requested clothing because they had left their homes and villages with nothing more than the clothes on their backs.

Also, they desperately needed water as temperatures soared to 120 degrees Farenheit. The Kuridstan government said it would deliver water to the displaced Yazidis, but more tanks were needed for storing the water. Along with a URI partner, we doubled the number of water tanks from 8 to 16. This provided 4,000 internally displaced Yazidis with sufficient water to meet their immediate needs for cooking, bathing and drinking.

URI partners have provided heaters and blankets, and we joined them to deliver warm winter clothing and coats to some of those in need. Many of the displaced Iraqis still cannot return to their homes, so their need for crisis assistance continues. With your help we can do more!