Iraq
Celebrating Liberation in Captivity
The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime was the happiest day of Elizabeth Tsurkov’s life, though she had at the time been tortured and imprisoned for nearly two years on a militia base in Iraq.
Forgotten Photographs of the Yazidis
Buried for 90 years, a cache of Yazidi photographs has become a bridge between the Iraqi community’s past and today.
The Child Brides of Iraq
A proposed amendment to Iraq’s laws would allow Shiite communities to govern marriage according to religious jurisprudence and threatens to normalize child marriage in the country. This looming rejection of human rights is notably a by-product of Iraq's sectarian political system, which emerged after the U.S. invasion in 2003.
Big Oil Is Fueling a Rise in Cancer in Iraq’s Basra
In Iraq’s Basra, age is a luxury. Residents live under a constant cloud of pollution from oil flares, leading to a surge in cancer cases, while the government colludes with oil companies to dismiss the crisis
The Weight of Gold: A Mandaean Journey Through Exile
Mandaeans follow ancient precepts of Gnosticism and worship John the Baptist. During Mesopotamia's golden era they settled along the banks of the Tigris, Euphrates and Karun rivers in what is now known as Iraq and Iran. Forced into exile by the 2003 invasion of Iraq, they are slowly disappearing.
Preserving Iraqi Memories Through Immersive Virtual Reality
The virtual reality “House of Memory” created by the artist Basil Al-Rawi takes viewers on a journey through photos and memories of Iraq’s past, allowing the diaspora to share personal stories and reclaim their cultural heritage.
The Vision Behind the US Consulate in Erbil Is Dissolving
The planned U.S. consulate complex in Erbil, in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region, has been plagued by delays and is being overtaken by changing political circumstances. The substantial compound may stand as a relic of unfulfilled ambition: a case study in the ebb and flow of dynamics in a volatile region.