Who are refugees and displaced persons? They are men, women and children fleeing war, persecution and political upheaval. They are uprooted with little warning, enduring great hardship during their flight. They become refugees when they cross borders and seek safety in another country.

Since early June, tens of thousands of Iraqis have fled Islamic State militants who have targeted religious minorities in a violent rampage across northwestern Iraq. Thousands remain in need of food, water, shelter and safety. Last month, the militants attacked one of Iraq’s oldest minorities, the Yazidi people of Sinjar.