Refugees fleeing to Europe: “If you stay, you will die”

Meet three refugees on a difficult journey to seek safety and a new home in Europe:

Mohammed Ahmed from Baghdad, Iraq is about to become a father. He and his pregnant wife fled their battle-scarred city with the hope of reaching Germany. Hawraman Ali found it hard to leave his home in northern Iraq, full of childhood memories, but he knew his life was no longer safe there. Salim Amiry was forced to leave his sick mother behind in Kabul, Afghanistan when he started to receive threats for working with the United States military. 

Stories like theirs have become all too common − since the beginning of this year, nearly one million refugees who made the difficult decision to start a new life far from war have reached Europe. 

"You must decide, one choice," says Mohammed. "There is death, and the other side: maybe death — but maybe [a] good life. So that is what we've chosen." 

Learn more about the International Rescue Committee's response to the refugee crisis.