Kurdish People after ISIS

Fighting for over 3.000 years for the acknowledgment of an Independent state – which includes parts of Turkey, Iraq, Ira and Syria – and fighting against violence and the consequences of internal and external wars, Kurdistan, located in the Middle East, has gathered its people for yet another fight. In 2014 the Islamic State (ISIS) invaded important cities of Turkey, Iraq and Syria, destroying monuments, killing and chasing people, and taking hostages. Two years after the first invasion, the ISIS keeps fighting for economical and religious power through terrorism. In the midst of it all, the civilian population, especially the children, try to resist to the consequences of these conflicts promoted by ISIS. More than 4 million civilians abandoned their houses trying to escape the terror and violence. More than 1,5 million refugees and displaced persons live in camps sustained by the United Nations (UN), Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and government aid.           

 

 

One of the many corridors of the Sharia Refugee Camp, which shelters the Yazidi ethnicity. Only after the ISIS’s advance and threat of genocide against the Yazidi ethnicity, an international coalition led by the USA was created. Its purpose was launching air strikes on the Northern Iraq and helping the Peshmerga’s strategic work., Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Sheltering more than 9,000 Yazidi families, Sharia Refugee Camp has several problems. One is the lack of schools for all children and adolescents, Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Young girl carries heavy water buckets back to her house in the Sharia Refugee Camp. In the camp’s entrance, visitors easily notice dozen of children filling water buckets. Many of them aren’t old enough to realize the seriousness of the situation. Since most of their families are numerous and weakened, they have to carry alone several water buckets through the huge camp’s corridors, Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
In large refugee camps, such as the Sharia Refugee Camp, another recurring problem is the shortage of water and the difficulty residents have in transporting it to the tents, Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Sharia Refugee Camp, Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Families enjoy some water stations inside the fields to supply their homes. In summer temperatures can reach 45 degrees. Sharia Refugee Camp, near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
But the children who have lost family members or have relatives in complicated health situations often have to take responsibility for domestic activities, regardless of the degree of difficulty or age, Sharia Refugee Camp, Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
The situation on the ground in Mosul is horrible. Many neighbourhoods are completely destroyed. Thousands are still trying to flee but it’s also dangerous, others decide to stay and can only hope that their house won’t collapse, near Mosul, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Frightened by the atrocities that the Islamic State commits wherever it passes and conquers, entire families abandon their homes and everything they have built and flee with their children to safe places such as refugee camps or to try life on the other side of the ocean. Near Kirkuk, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
After consecrating towns and villages of civilians, the Islamic state usually destroys all houses and buildings that refer to local culture, except mosques. That's why jihadists want society to only live radical Islam, near Mosul, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Refugee Camp Cover II, near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Civilians who had their homes, families and professions after the Islamic State have to contend with the new shared tents, food and utensils offered by NGOs, and try to rebuild life again in the midst of chaos. Refugee Camp Cover II, near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Cover II Refugee Camp resident women tell their different stories with the Islamic state. Some of them were held as sex slaves and sold to several different men, others had their relatives killed by the jihadists or fought like peshmergas against the extremist group. Near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Residentes women in Cover II Refugee Camp who were abducted and sexually abused by the jihadists tell how they currently come in the fields: shamefaced and hidden. This is because in yazidi culture, if a woman has sexuausi relationships without being married to any member of the religion, she is harassed and sometimes even expelled from the community. Near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Interior of the girls' tents, Cover II Refugee Camp, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Yazidi girl does housework while she should be studying or playing. Sharia Refugee Camp, near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
In some cases, residents welcome children from the family and from friendly families who lost their parents and caretakers initially legit. There are 9 people in this tent, 7 of them children. Cover II Refugee Camp, near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Interior of one of the Refugee Camp Cover II residential tents. In a space of approximately 3 to 4m2, entire families re-create the chests of the house according to the time of day. At night, they put on mattresses and in the morning pick them up to be able to use the makeshift kitchen and be able to walk. Near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Interior of the tent - kitchen. Cover II Refugee Camp, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Child returns to the Sharia Refugee Camp after being taken by the Islamic State (ISIS). This refugee camp shelters nearly 9000 families from the religious minority Yazidi, and many times one can find children like this one, who cannot speak. This happens because dozens of them were captured and, many times, hurt and traumatized by the ISIS when the Jihadist group invaded (in 2015) the great city of Mount Sinjar, Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Cover II Refugee Camp, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Child in Sharia Refugee Camp, Iraq Kurdistan.
School wall located in Sharia Refugee Camp, near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Promoted by NGOs, in this case German, some schools operate in the fields, although crowded. Teachers who teach in schools complain that many children do not go to school for lack of food, clothing, or school supplies and demand better conditions and more attention. Cover II Refugee Camp, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Children in Sharia Refugee Camp, near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Traumatized by the horrors they witnessed and heard from the countless stories told by family and friends, children draw in the countryside schools their fears, their realities, their dreams and what marks their childhoods: hijackings and violence committed by Islamic State (ISIS) are among them. Sharia Refugee Camp, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Child grabbing a fence in the Cover II Refugee Camp. Since the refugee camp’s schools are not able to hold all the children, many of them spend their days wandering in the camp instead of going to school. Besides the lack of space in the classrooms, there isn’t enough food, school supplies and clothes. Hussein, the child’s father, confides: “It’s a pity what I envision, for our future should be done for them – for the children. What will the future look like?” Near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Since there are no schools, children play with remains of tent constructions when they should be learning, Sharia Refugee Camp, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Yazidi family in Sharia Refugee Camp, near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
After being kidnapped by the Islamic State when the extremists invaded Mount Sinjar, this little girl was tortured for months and only after members of the family managed to rescue her. Sharia Refugee Camp, near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Reality of many families inside the Refugee Camps. Sharia Camp, near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Sharia Refugee Camp, near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
A child of Yazidi ethnicity arrives to the refugee camp and reunites with other children, after being taken and hurt on the head by the Islamic State (ISIS). Hunted since the beginning of the 19th century by the Turcoman empire and the Saddam Hussein’s regime, and since 2014 by the ISIS, a part of the ethnical/religious minority Yazidi live in the Iraqi camps. The other part, nearly 3000 women, children and men are still held hostages in captivity by Jihadists, Duhok, Iraqi Kurdistan, 2015.
Merchants who left their businesses to flee the war improvise to rebuild the finances and couplings in some spaces in the fields dedicated to the commerce. This clothing store, mostly donated, runs daily.
Restaurant set up by the country dweller. To have business like this you need to have a little money to invest. And since most families arrived in the countryside with no money, depending on humanitarian aid, you do not see many local businesses. Sharia Refugee Camp, near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Hair salon in Sharia Refugee Camp. This salon is the only one to attend to all the families - about 9.000 - who live in the camp. Near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Children inside the family hair salon located at Sharia Refugee Camp. Because of the lack of schools for all children and the lack of availability of parents who need to work to earn a living income, they spend the day sitting looking out for each other. Near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
In an improvised hot plate in the middle and one of the corridors of the camp, this sale of grilled meat is one of the options of the residents who can pay for a food different from the one offered by the humanitarian aid. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford these temptations. Only those who receive money from friends or family who have not yet lost or fled their routines. Sharia Refugee Camp, near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Sharia Refugee Camp, near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Behind the children a very representative banner for the yazidi community: it recalls how many times they were persecuted in the history of humanity - 74 times in total in several wars - and the last persecution, made by Islamic State (ISIS). Sharia Refugee Camp, near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Supported with the help of Unicef, the Sharia Refugee Camp is home to thousands of families and provides housing for Yazidi refugees. Children who have lost family members, life references and opportunities are waiting for more help from other NGOs, which are increasingly scarce due to the demand for refugees growing daily. Near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Men playing a traditional board game. Being very easy going and happy, the Kurds are always surrounded by friends and good humoured. In the weekends they spend hours together playing board or card games, Near Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, 2015.
Muslim man in Cover II Refugee Camp, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan). In the region, and now in the camps, civilians are tolerant of one another in relation to religion. Muslim families, Yazidis and Catholics live with respect and compassion.
Children use stones to write a message to the world, asking for PEACE. The civilian population, especially the children, try to resist to the consequences of these conflicts for the independence of Kurdistan and the violence posed by ISIS. Many people were captured and executed. More than 4 million civilians abandoned their houses trying to escape the terror. More than 1,5 million refugees and displaced persons live in refugee camps to preserve their identities, Duhok, Iraqi Kurdistan, 2015.
Children playing soccer in the Sharia Refugee Camp. Already in their adolescence, many children can already understand what is happening with their families. Consequently, many of their dreams become harder to come true. Nevertheless, with a contagious happiness they keep showing that one needs to believe that a positive change will come, and that they might even become professional soccer players, Duhok, Iraqi Kurdistan, 2015.
Children in Sharia Refugee Camp, near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).
Sharia Refugee Camp, Iraq Kurdistan, Middle East.
Residencial tent in Sharia Refugee Camp, near Duhok, Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan).