In the scorching Iraqi summer, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) launched a brutal campaign against the Yazidi minority, a religious sect whose ancient traditions were about to be decimated. In a lightning-fast sweep, ISIL militants overran the Sinjar region, capturing hundreds of Yazidi men, women, and children. The assault was merciless, with mass killings, forced conversions, and sexual slavery reported. The Yazidis, a historically persecuted group, were once again facing extinction. As the world watched in horror, the United States intervened with airstrikes, but the damage was done – thousands were dead, and hundreds of thousands displaced, fleeing for their lives.