Duhok: Only One Third of IDPs So Far Returned to Iraq

Despite having declared the full victory over the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq for more than a year, only one third of the Iraqi IDPs in Kurdistan’s Duhok province have so far returned to their homes, an official said.

After IS invaded a massive area in north and west of Iraq back in 2014, millions of people escaped their homes, many of whom sought refuge in Kurdistan Region under the protection of the Peshmerga forces.

Salim Saeed, head of the press office for board of humanitarian response in Duhok, told media that out of 740,000 IDPs, only 240,000 have so far left Duhok to return to their homes in other provinces of Iraq.

He further explained that 27 camps for Iraqi IDPs and Syrian refugees were established in Duhok, and only five of them are empty now.

Saeed also criticised the international humanitarian organizations for halting most of their aid missions in Duhok and rather focusing on Mosul while a huge number of IDPs and refugees remain in Kurdistan and they are in need of constant support.