Kate Brooks

Every day thousands of Iraqis abandon their homes in search of safety. Many have been kidnapped, tortured, forced to pay ransoms or watched family members killed before their eyes . The decision to leave their country is their last hope and the journey is perilous.

The millions who have fled Iraq live in urban settings, mostly in rented accommodation. Unable to work legally, many Iraqis are forced to return home when their money runs out.

Kate Brooks works extensively in Afghanistan and the Middle East, and is published in Europe and US. She is based in Beirut.

Samir Audish fled Iraq with his wife and three remaining children, after two of his daughters were targeted and killed for working with the US military. They now live in a poor neighborhood of Amman.

Ganiyha fled Telafar nearly two years ago due to escalating violence. She now lives on the outskirts of Erbil with her 10 children who are unable to access education.

An Iraqi family from Basra registers at the UNHCR centre in Damascus. Their four year old daughter has tumours on her spine that are believed to be malignant. The use of depleted uraniforces has lead to high rates of cancer.

Iraqi Christian refugees flock to Father Emmanuel Istafan Issa al Bana for assistance. For many displaced Iraqis, he is their only source of help.