2014_12_03_Erbil_IDPs_sam_tarling_MG_8107
Nissan Petros, a pharmacist and Caritas staff worker of 13 years, stands with his wife Bernadette, his youngest son Jacob, 15, and his eldest son Rabieh, 35, in the tent in which they live at an IDP settlement in the grounds of the Saint Eliyah Church in Ainkawa, Erbil on December 3, 2014.
Rabieh's wife and four children also live in the same tent.
Nissan and his family of 6 fled their home in Qarakosh, Iraq in August when Islamic State militants overran their town. The so-called Islamic State is a radical Islamic militant group that controls territory in both Iraq and Syria. The fall of Mosul to IS in August and their subsequent advances is thought to have displaced over 1 million people, most of whom were Yazidis, Christians and other minorities, but also Muslim families too.
Nissan told Caritas: "[Over the last four months] My living situation has become better, our tent is bigger and the living conditions are better. Farther Douglas and Daniel are doing their best. They put on trips or the children to the parks and playgrounds and are providing some lessons.
Still, the longer we stay here, the more frustrating it becomes and we want to go home."
"It’s hard to here [in Erbil]. It’s colder than the winter in Qarakosh and we are not used to this type of weather."
"Even though our homes have been looted we want to go back, even if there’s just the walls left."
"All the families here are afraid for the future of christianity in Iraq. We fear that we cannot live again Qarakosh. Our neighbors who we ate with are now with Daesh."
"We can’t go back home until Mosul is liberated… If this doesn’t happen we are thinking of leaving Iraq permanently. Every day we are praying with the other families that this will be resolved and we can return to Qarakosh."
"I don’t know what will happen to my children, My daughter graduated from university with a degree in electrical engineering but the others can’t finish."
On Christmas the prospect of not being in his home for Christmas, he said."It’s so hard [to imagine not being at home for Christmas]. Sometimes I cry. We would be sharing our famous traditional foods with our friends. We’re missing all of that. The children will face a christmas without Santa Claus and no tree."
2014_12_03_Erbil_IDPs_sam_tarling_MG_8107
Nissan Petros, a pharmacist and Caritas staff worker of 13 years, stands with his wife Bernadette, his youngest son Jacob, 15, and his eldest son Rabieh, 35, in the tent in which they live at an IDP settlement in the grounds of the Saint Eliyah Church in Ainkawa, Erbil on December 3, 2014.
Rabieh's wife and four children also live in the same tent.
Nissan and his family of 6 fled their home in Qarakosh, Iraq in August when Islamic State militants overran their town. The so-called Islamic State is a radical Islamic militant group that controls territory in both Iraq and Syria. The fall of Mosul to IS in August and their subsequent advances is thought to have displaced over 1 million people, most of whom were Yazidis, Christians and other minorities, but also Muslim families too.
Nissan told Caritas: "[Over the last four months] My living situation has become better, our tent is bigger and the living conditions are better. Farther Douglas and Daniel are doing their best. They put on trips or the children to the parks and playgrounds and are providing some lessons.
Still, the longer we stay here, the more frustrating it becomes and we want to go home."
"It’s hard to here [in Erbil]. It’s colder than the winter in Qarakosh and we are not used to this type of weather."
"Even though our homes have been looted we want to go back, even if there’s just the walls left."
"All the families here are afraid for the future of christianity in Iraq. We fear that we cannot live again Qarakosh. Our neighbors who we ate with are now with Daesh."
"We can’t go back home until Mosul is liberated… If this doesn’t happen we are thinking of leaving Iraq permanently. Every day we are praying with the other families that this will be resolved and we can return to Qarakosh."
"I don’t know what will happen to my children, My daughter graduated from university with a degree in electrical engineering but the others can’t finish."
On Christmas the prospect of not being in his home for Christmas, he said."It’s so hard [to imagine not being at home for Christmas]. Sometimes I cry. We would be sharing our famous traditional foods with our friends. We’re missing all of that. The children will face a christmas without Santa Claus and no tree."