Iraq's politicians are appealing to the international community to help battle Islamic State fighters as their dramatic push into the country's north continues.
The militants are hostile to Shiite Muslims, Kurds, Christians and other groups who don't agree with their brand of Sunni Islam.
But, as Manny Tsigas reports, there is another less well-known community also being targeted.
Numbering about 700,000 worldwide, the Yazidi are a sect that combines elements of Islam and Zoroastrianism - an ancient Persian religion dating back to at least 600 BC.
Yazidi contend their faith is the world's oldest.
They claim to be the first people created in the Garden of Eden.
According to wesbite Yazidi Truth-dot-org, they believe in seven deities that form the colours of the rainbow, including "Tawsi Melek"-- or "the Peacock Angel".
But another name for "Tawsi Melek" is "Shaytan" - the Arabic word for "devil" or "demon", which is why Islamic State militants have labelled Yazidis "devil worshippers".
Ethnically, the Yazidi are Kurdish and around half a million are said to have been living in Iraq's northeast.
But many have been forced to flee after Islamic State militants captured the towns of Zumar and Sinjar.
The militants reportedly give the Yazidi four choices: convert to Islam, pay a tax for non-believers, leave immediately - or die.
Tens of thousands have since rushed into the surrounding mountains or to neighbouring cities in Iraq's Kurdistan region.
Zahran Jardo has taken refuge in an abandoned building in the city of Dohuk.
She describes the moment Islamic State militants arrived at Sinjar.
"We heard the sound of mortars and in the morning they entered Sinjar. So we fled to the mountains. Those who stayed are now suffering from thirst. They have no water. They also took girls and raped them. They said that Yazidis have to be converted to Islam. This cannot happen. Where are the officials? No one has looked after us and no one asks about the fate of the Yazidis."
Shiren Suleiman, also from Sinjar, is now staying at a refugee camp in Dohuk.
Her pleas for help are also going unanswered.
"We don't need anything from you. Just bring back our people, our families from Sinjar Mountain. Our families are wounded, women and children. They are hungry. My daughter is pregnant and she's trapped. My five sons. My husband. My mother-in-law. All of them are trapped there."
Children make up about half of Sinjar's population.
Will Parks is the UNICEF Chief Field Officer in Iraq's Kurdish region.
He says up to 25,000 children are among those who remain stranded in mountainous areas.
"This is a desperate situation, particularly for children. We know for sure that 40 children have already died. That's the numbers we can confirm, but it's probably much more than that. The situation for them is they're on the mountains, they're on the sides of the mountains, they've got no vegetation, no cover. They're sleeping out in the open, they've got no food, no water, no medical supplies."
It's not the first time this group has faced persecution.
Under Saddam Hussein's rule, many Yazidi villages were wiped out as troops moved in on Kurdish areas.
Now the Yazidi are on the defensive again but this time they're calling loudly for help.
Their leader, Prince Taheen, has issued what he calls an "urgent distress call" to Iraqi and world leaders.
Echoing his calls is Yazidi politician Vian Dakhil, who broke down in tears while addressing Iraq's parliament.
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