In an exclusive report by Alex Potter of NPR, the ancient Christian village of al-Qosh, located in northern Iraq, was just six miles away from fighting between ISIS militants and Kurdish forces known as the Peshmerga. Although the village residents fled back in August, some of them were brave enough to return after finding out ISIS never occupied their town.

"Christians have been here in the Nineveh plains for thousands of years," local Syriac language teacher Athra Kado said. "It would be a tragedy if we just disappeared."

According to Potter, the Peshmerga warned the residents of al-Qosh back on Aug. 6 that their lives were in danger from ISIS militants. This left al-Qosh "a ghost town."

"[The Peshmerga] threw a barricade across the road just outside al-Qosh, but we knew that wouldn't stop [ISIS]," Kado said.

However, Potter reported that for whatever reason, ISIS stopped its advance to al-Qosh and never tried to occupy the village. This led to the village coming back to life.

"After a while, the residents felt secure enough to return and it has been buzzing with activity this spring," Potter wrote. "The markets are open, the schools are running, and families are picnicking on the hills overlooking al-Qosh." (Photo by Alex Potter for NPR)

Potter added that al-Qosh has previously served as a safe haven for both Christians and those fleeing violence from other parts in Iraq, even before the rise of ISIS.

"In 2008 and 2010, al-Qosh became a safe haven for civilians fleeing turbulence in the Mosul area, about 30 miles to the south," Potter wrote. "The same thing happened again before and after the ISIS threat last August."

However, Potter observed that the residents of al-Qosh have set up their own militia just in case ISIS attempted to make a move against them. The militia included Kado and his friends.

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