Joe Snell

As the world commemorates the Yazidi genocide this week, Awsman warns of the reality on the ground - many still live in displacement camps, thousands missing, and the security and economic situation slow to improve. #

Awsman eventually fled to the U.S. His family returned to Sinjar. In January, Awsman returned home, the first time he had been back since 2014. He recalls a very different home - crumbling buildings and few economic opportunities...

Awsman recalls local security forces fleeing without warning, leaving his community without protection. His family, along with nearly half a million others, fled to Mount Sinjar where they escaped from the extremist group...

YouTube video by Joe Snell Lots of talk, little actual help for Yazidis

Dler Awsman woke up in southern Sinjar on Aug. 2, 2014, to his father warning of trucks approaching from the desert - the Islamic State was fast advancing... www.youtube.com/shorts/kStXS...

Video journalists @joesnellreports.bsky.social and @hyojungpink.bsky.social were outside the airport and crash site early this morning:

They're seeing increased activity by ISIS sleeper cells in Manbij and near Raqqa, including the release of former fighters from prisons. "Whatever we did through all of the years with the United States, with the global coalition to stop and end ISIS, it will be all gone in vain." 2/2

I spoke with the head of the SDF's political arm in the U.S. about clashes in northeast Syria. Their biggest fear is Turkish-backed attacks against Kurdish civilians and the resurgence of the Islamic State. 1/2

I spoke with the archbishop of the Syriac Orthodox Church in Aleppo about reports of looting and the cancelling of mass. He confirmed there's been looting at two churches but mass has continued and they've still been allowed to prepare for Christmas.

Christians in Aleppo fear for their future after Islamist takeover Though the rebels, once affiliated with al-Qaeda, have sought to soften their image in recent years, many worry they will revert to their repressive roots.

Over nearly 14 years of civil war, Aleppo’s Christian population has fallen from 300,000 to just 25,000. In 2013, two of the city’s archbishops were kidnapped; their whereabouts remain unknown. w/ @mohamadelchamaa.bsky.social