Sinjar, Iraq

Living in Sinjar is a grim reality. The city's population of 22,549 has endured a horrific genocide at the hands of ISIL, with estimates of up to 5,000 Yazidis killed and thousands more abducted. The aftermath lingers, as Yazidis return to an abandoned town littered with mass graves and unexploded ordnance. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, with Iraqi and Kurdish forces vying for control of the area. Those considering Sinjar should think carefully - this is not a place for the faint of heart.