About 27K IDP Families in Erbil, Duhok Prevented from Returning Home

Reports 11:36 AM - 2024-07-02

One of the IDP camps of the Kurdistan Region.

By the end of this week, the final group of 250 families who were internally displaced and residing in Sulaymaniyah province will be returning to their homes. This marks the completion of the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sulaymaniyah province, and all four camps where the IDPs had previously settled will be shut down. 

According to the director of the Kurdistan Region's Provinces' Department of the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displacement, the return of IDPs in Sulaymaniyah province is a result of collaboration with the city's administration. However, the return of IDPs is being hindered in Erbil and Duhok provinces. Currently, there are still 26,750 families residing in camps in these two provinces.

All IDPs of Sulaymaniyah will return home

Samer Mashkur, Director of the Kurdistan Region's Provinces' Department of the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displacement, told PUKMEDIA: "The return of IDPs in Sulaymaniyah province to their home is an outcome of the cooperative efforts of the city's administration. Nevertheless, the return of IDPs is being hindered in Erbil and Duhok. Currently, a total of 26,750 families are still residing in camps located in the two provinces."

"There are currently only 250 IDP families residing in Ashti camp, located in Sulaymaniyah province. These families are scheduled to return to their original homes by the end of this week, and the camp will be closed," stated Mashkur.

IDPs are being prevented from returning in Erbil and Duhok

Mashkur further asserted that the return of IDPs is being obstructed in the provinces of Erbil and Duhok. 

He stated that the Joint Crisis Coordination Centre of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is prohibiting the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displacement from accessing the camps and facilitating the return of IDPs, and that the KRG's Interior Ministry is likewise blocking the IDP's return.

Mashkur stated that the tensions between the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displacement and the KRG's Ministry of Interior have adversely affected the return of IDPs residing in Erbil. 

From January 24 to July 1, only 250 families who were IDPs and were living in the camps of Erbil province have returned to their original homes, according to Mashkur.

In Duhok province, the IDPs are still being hindered from returning. So far, only 2,400 families have returned to their homes, according to Mashkur.

"The return of these families was under their own persistence as they requested the Ministry of Migration and Displacement to facilitate their return," he stated.

Camps will be closed on July 30

"To date, approximately 4,750 IDP families in the camps of the Kurdistan Region have returned to their homes, including 2,100 families from Sulaymaniyah and 2,400 families from Duhok," stated Mashkur.

"Among the 5,000 IDP families in Erbil province, only 250 families have returned, while 4,750 families are prevented from returning. In Duhok province, only 2,400 families out of a total of 22,000 IDP families have made their way back," he added.

"Mashkur stated that the Iraqi Council of Ministers has set a deadline of July 30, 2024, for the closure of the camps. If the KRG's Ministry of Interior continues to hinder the return of IDPs, the Iraqi government will be driven to take alternative measures," Mashkur explained.

"Furthermore, the KRG is obligated to assume accountability for the IDPs' lives. It must provide them with housing, electricity, water, and other services. The Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displacement is presently allocating a monthly sum of 500 million dinars to these camps," he further stated.



PUKMEDIA