Story

Vian Ramo, a 30-year-old Yazidi, stands in the camp for displaced people in Duhok. She, along with her husband and children, have been displaced since ISIS drove them out of their hometown of Sinjar in 2014 / credit: Alessandra Bajec

Yazidis In Limbo As Iraqi Forces & Armed Militants Fight in Northern Iraq

Alessandra Bajec July 6, 2022 Alessandra Bajec

For more than two months, residents of Sinjar have protested the presence of armed groups following May’s clashes in Iraq’s Yazidi-majority district. Those clashes triggered—yet again—an exodus of Yazidi minorities seeking shelter in the Kurdish Region of Iraq (KRI). This comes as tens of thousands of Yazidis have already dealt with protracted displacement since the ISIS takeover of 2014. Alessandra Bajec reports from Iraqi Kurdistan.

Drueke with his mother, Lois (left) and Drueke's photo from his time in the U.S. Army Reserve, which included two tours in Iraq / credit: New York Post

‘I Regret’ Being a Mercenary in Ukraine: Conversation with U.S. POW Detained in Donbass

Fergie Chambers June 29, 2022 Fergie Chambers

Last week, two U.S. citizens who had traveled to Ukraine to fight for the Ukrainian International Legion were widely reported as having been captured by military forces of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), the breakaway republic in eastern Ukraine that is allied with Russia in the ongoing conflict in the region. The two Alabama residents were apparently captured amid fighting in the outskirts of the Ukrainian oblast of Kharkov and, to this point, had not had any contact with U.S. press. That is, until regular TF contributor Fergie Chambers got a phone call.

The leaders of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan (right), and Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev (left), meet with EU President Charles Michel (center) in Brussels on May 22 / credit: president.az

EU Mediates Conflict in South Caucasus, Long Part of Russia’s Geopolitical Orbit

Nikola Mikovic June 24, 2022 Nikola Mikovic

Although the South Caucasus region has traditionally been in the Kremlin’s geopolitical orbit, it is the European Union that seems to be playing the major role in peace talks, border delimitation and the reopening of transportation links. During the past six months, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev met three times through the mediation of European Council President Charles Michel, reports Nikola Mikovic.

The left-wing candidates of the Pacto Histórico coalition ticket in Colombia celebrate a win / credit: Evo Morales / Twitter

Celebrations in Colombia’s Streets: Gustavo Petro to Be First Left-Wing President and Francia Márquez the First Afro-Descendant Woman VP

Julie Varughese June 19, 2022 Julie Varughese

Celebrations took place Sunday evening as people took to the streets of Colombia after left-wing presidential candidate Gustavo Petro was deemed the winner of the second-round election. This victory makes his running mate, Francia Márquez, the first Afro-descendant woman who will serve as vice president once the term begins in August, reports TF editor Julie Varughese.