10th Anniversary Survivor Stories: Fatima

The residents of Kocho never imagined that their small village, nestled in a green valley at the foot of Mount Sinjar, would one day gain international recognition and become a significant chapter in contemporary history.

Convert or surrender

After giving the Yazidi residents of Kocho village three days to surrender or convert to Islam, ISIS terrorists stormed the village and carried out a horrific massacre that still resonates today.

Mother Fatima

Fatima was content tending livestock and helping cultivate her children's land, living a simple yet dignified life. However, fate had a harsh turn in store for her, and one that few could bear.

The genocide begins

On August 3, 2014, Fatima and her large family of sixty-seven, including her husband, children, siblings, and their children, were taken captive by ISIS terrorists in a scene of brutality beyond what any film could adequately portray. Killing alone wasn't enough to satisfy the hatred of the militants; they resorted to torture and abuse. They enslaved the women, recruited the male children, and aimed to exterminate the Yazidi people.

The sorrowful return

Freed but broken-hearted, Fatima returned with a shattered spirit and deep sorrow. She tells her story with tears, mourning the loved ones taken from her. Mother Fatima stands as a living witness to the heinous hands that killed, kidnapped, and assaulted the Yazidi people. After these trying years, all she has left is to wait for the remains of her children and relatives, taken from her in a brief, tragic moment.