They have found refuge in Turkey.

With the Islamic State gaining more ground in Northern Iraq -- they ran for their lives.

Iraqi Yazidis -- followers of an ancient religion -- are considered "devil worshippers" by the Islamic State. Their beliefs are a death sentence.

Many are now left with painful memories of loss.

(SOUNDBITE) (Kurdish) DISPLACED IRAQI CITIZEN KHALED, SAYING:

"We have gone through a lot . Women and children are being killed. We cannot get help. I have four children and I don't know where they are. Two have disappeared and I don't know what happened to the other two. I don't know if they are dead or alive."

With thousands are still trapped in Iraq, Reuters footage appears to show Islamic State fighters in control of a check point at the border of Iraq's Kurdish region.

The black flag has been raised. The Kurdish flag: trampled on.. raising alarm bells in Baghdad and among regional powers.