Yazidis refugees flee Islamic State persecutors
- 10 years ago
Refugees by the thousands, stream across the Syrian border into Kurdistan in northern Iraq. They are Yazidis fleeing the onslaught of the Islamic State -- fundamentalists who believe the Yazidis are devil-worshippers who must be exterminated.
Daily kidnappings and execution-style killings have forced hundreds of thousands of ethnic minorities like the Yazidis, to flee their homes, and run for their lives...
(SOUNDBITE)(Arabic) DISPLACED IRAQI, NATHUM, SAYING:
"We had nothing. We were dying of thirst, hunger. There was nothing there. We have been walking for 12 days, many people died, we feel distraught."
And UNICEF says, the refugee influx shows no sign of slowing down.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) UNICEF REPRESENTATIVE IN IRAQ, MARZIP BABILLE, SAYING:
"Rising numbers of displaced people coming from Sinjar district and Sinjar mountains have been crossing this pontoon behind me over the last 48 hours. According to the government of Kurdistan region and Unite
Daily kidnappings and execution-style killings have forced hundreds of thousands of ethnic minorities like the Yazidis, to flee their homes, and run for their lives...
(SOUNDBITE)(Arabic) DISPLACED IRAQI, NATHUM, SAYING:
"We had nothing. We were dying of thirst, hunger. There was nothing there. We have been walking for 12 days, many people died, we feel distraught."
And UNICEF says, the refugee influx shows no sign of slowing down.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) UNICEF REPRESENTATIVE IN IRAQ, MARZIP BABILLE, SAYING:
"Rising numbers of displaced people coming from Sinjar district and Sinjar mountains have been crossing this pontoon behind me over the last 48 hours. According to the government of Kurdistan region and Unite