Thousands of Iraqi children who lived under the brutal rule of ISIS in northern Iraq still face obstacles. Iraqi families who were issued official identification documents by ISIS continue to have a hard time getting their kids into school, because the government doesn’t recognize their paperwork.
When ISIS took over his city, Archbishop Najeeb Michaeel Moussa knew he had to jump into action to save hundreds of ancient manuscripts. The risky effort was dangerous but ultimately successful. Now, he has been nominated for a prestigious award by the European Union.
Critical State takes a deep dive into one of the most fundamental choices civilians make in wartime: whether to stay in their homes and live under the control of an armed group that has conquered their city — or to abandon their homes and flee to somewhere they hope will be safer.
Students in the city of Mosul in northern Iraq saw their education come to a stop when ISIS took over their city. In 2017, Iraqi and American forces liberated the city but reconstruction has been painfully slow and online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has proven difficult.