A Few Miles from ISIS | Explorer

I covered the war in southern Iraq as a

I covered the war in southern Iraq as a journalist but never set foot in the

journalist but never set foot in the

journalist but never set foot in the north until after the Americans had gone

north until after the Americans had gone

north until after the Americans had gone I couldn’t believe it was the same

I couldn’t believe it was the same

I couldn’t believe it was the same country the city of Suleiman iya is a

country the city of Suleiman iya is a

country the city of Suleiman iya is a liberal island in a region flooded with

liberal island in a region flooded with

liberal island in a region flooded with extremism enemies are all around

extremism enemies are all around

extremism enemies are all around Isis is just two hours away

Isis is just two hours away

Isis is just two hours away my name is Neel che and I’m a writer

my name is Neel che and I’m a writer

my name is Neel che and I’m a writer with National Geographic magazine I’m on

with National Geographic magazine I’m on

with National Geographic magazine I’m on assignment in northern Iraq for a story

assignment in northern Iraq for a story

assignment in northern Iraq for a story on the Kurds a Muslim minority and a

on the Kurds a Muslim minority and a

on the Kurds a Muslim minority and a crucial Western ally in the battle

crucial Western ally in the battle

crucial Western ally in the battle against Isis the Kurds are an ancient

against Isis the Kurds are an ancient

against Isis the Kurds are an ancient people with their own language and

people with their own language and

people with their own language and culture and today they’re scattered

culture and today they’re scattered

culture and today they’re scattered across Turkey Iran Syria and Iraq here

across Turkey Iran Syria and Iraq here

across Turkey Iran Syria and Iraq here in Iraq the Kurds control a territory

in Iraq the Kurds control a territory

in Iraq the Kurds control a territory the size of Switzerland and though they

the size of Switzerland and though they

the size of Switzerland and though they officially remain part of Iraq they have

officially remain part of Iraq they have

officially remain part of Iraq they have their own president their own Parliament

their own president their own Parliament

their own president their own Parliament and their own moderate form of Islamic

and their own moderate form of Islamic

and their own moderate form of Islamic democracy all of that is now under

democracy all of that is now under

democracy all of that is now under threat

it’s a couple hours before sunrise we’re

it’s a couple hours before sunrise we’re gonna meet up with an Iraqi police unit

gonna meet up with an Iraqi police unit

gonna meet up with an Iraqi police unit that’s going out looking for Isis

that’s going out looking for Isis

that’s going out looking for Isis fighters around the city of Kirkuk

fighters around the city of Kirkuk

fighters around the city of Kirkuk I’m leaving the safety of sulemani and

I’m leaving the safety of sulemani and

I’m leaving the safety of sulemani and heading south toward kir cook toward

heading south toward kir cook toward

heading south toward kir cook toward isis-held territory and a police

isis-held territory and a police

isis-held territory and a police commander charged with keeping the city

commander charged with keeping the city

commander charged with keeping the city safe from jihadis power is my friend and

safe from jihadis power is my friend and

safe from jihadis power is my friend and my fixer

my fixer

my fixer he’s a Kurdish photojournalist who’s

he’s a Kurdish photojournalist who’s

he’s a Kurdish photojournalist who’s helping me chase leads and meet the

helping me chase leads and meet the

helping me chase leads and meet the right people he was also born and raised

right people he was also born and raised

right people he was also born and raised in Kirkuk and he’s lived through all the

in Kirkuk and he’s lived through all the

in Kirkuk and he’s lived through all the recent Wars it’s the time of wild dogs

recent Wars it’s the time of wild dogs

recent Wars it’s the time of wild dogs in the city this is when they feel free

in the city this is when they feel free

in the city this is when they feel free to roam here cook is an oil-rich city in

to roam here cook is an oil-rich city in

to roam here cook is an oil-rich city in the middle of Iraq and it’s also the

the middle of Iraq and it’s also the

the middle of Iraq and it’s also the country’s melting pot in care cooks

country’s melting pot in care cooks

country’s melting pot in care cooks dense neighborhoods Christians live

dense neighborhoods Christians live

dense neighborhoods Christians live beside Muslims Kurds live beside Arabs

beside Muslims Kurds live beside Arabs

beside Muslims Kurds live beside Arabs and everyone lives just a few miles from

and everyone lives just a few miles from

and everyone lives just a few miles from Isis in 2014 the Kurds stepped up to

Isis in 2014 the Kurds stepped up to

Isis in 2014 the Kurds stepped up to stop militants from capturing Kirkuk but

stop militants from capturing Kirkuk but

stop militants from capturing Kirkuk but fear still stains everything here