Into the fire

In August 2014, the extremist group ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) invaded Sinjar, a town in northern Iraq. Sinjar was home to many Yazidis, a Kurdish-speaking ethnic and religious minority group in Iraq. Yazidis have faced long-standing persecution due to their distinct religious beliefs. ISIS, which considers Yazidis to be infidels (people who reject their religion), committed acts of violence against them. During the invasion, ISIS killed thousands of Yazidis and enslaved thousands of women and girls. The international community later recognized these actions as genocide, a term used to describe systematic efforts to destroy a specific group of people. The Yazidis' situation became a symbol of the broader atrocities committed by ISIS during this period.

Hana Khider, a Yazidi woman, leads an all-female de-mining team working to clear landmines left behind by ISIS in Sinjar. Khider is employed by the Mines Advisory Group (MAG), an organization that specializes in removing landmines and unexploded ordnance from conflict zones. MAG is one of the founding members of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), a global coalition advocating for the elimination of landmines. The ICBL, along with its coordinator Jody Williams, was awarded the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts. Khider’s team faces dangerous conditions as they search for and deactivate hidden explosives, some of which are disguised as everyday objects, including children’s toys. Their work is part of a broader effort to rebuild the Yazidi community after the trauma of genocide.

The documentary Into the Fire follows Hana Khider as she balances her perilous de-mining work with her personal life as a wife and mother. Directed by British filmmaker Orlando von Einsiedel, the film highlights the dual responsibilities of caring for one’s community and rebuilding after trauma. It is part of a five-part series produced in collaboration with the Nobel Prize and National Geographic. Each episode in the series focuses on the ongoing influence of a different Nobel Peace Prize laureate. The documentary aims to raise awareness about the long-term consequences of landmines and the resilience of communities affected by conflict.