ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Delivering humanitarian assistance to those affected by Iraqi military operations against ISIS in remote western Anbar province is posing a challenge for aid groups.
“There are long distances to travel, few shelter options and explosive hazards are present along roads and in settlements,” the UN’s humanitarian office (OCHA) stated in a report on Thursday.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the launch of operations to defeat ISIS in western Anbar province, on the border with Syria, on October 26. It is the last major area in the country still held by the extremist group.
Much of the area is sparsely populated desert and aid agencies saw little displacement in the first few days. An estimated 50,000 people are living in the area and OCHA expects the majority will remain in their homes, if it is safe to do so. It anticipates 10,000 may flee south and east and another 5,000 may flee westward into Syria.
“In the event of large-scale displacement people will have to be transported over 300 kilometres before they can access a full package of assistance,” OCHA stated.
The middle Euphrates River valley that runs from Syria’s Deir ez-Zor through to Anbar’s al-Qaim is where ISIS has congregated its forces and leadership as the group lost its urban centres of Mosul and Raqqa.
Human Rights Watch has reported that Iraqi authorities are treating displaced families from Anbar with suspicion of ties to the militant group. They are being put through stringent security screenings and some are being prevented from returning home.
In disputed areas in the north of the country, OCHA documented over 184,000 people displaced, mainly from Kirkuk, Makhmour, and Tuz Khurmatu. While most quickly returned home to Kirkuk, many fled for a second time, fearing insecurity.
OCHA has seen “no discernable” returns to Tuz Khurmatu.
In Nineveh, some 20,000 people have fled to Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province from Zummar, Rabia, and Shingal.
OCHA is concerned about the situation of all the displaced as winter approaches. There are currently 3.2 million internally displaced persons in Iraq and 230,000 Syrian refugees.
“There are long distances to travel, few shelter options and explosive hazards are present along roads and in settlements,” the UN’s humanitarian office (OCHA) stated in a report on Thursday.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the launch of operations to defeat ISIS in western Anbar province, on the border with Syria, on October 26. It is the last major area in the country still held by the extremist group.
Much of the area is sparsely populated desert and aid agencies saw little displacement in the first few days. An estimated 50,000 people are living in the area and OCHA expects the majority will remain in their homes, if it is safe to do so. It anticipates 10,000 may flee south and east and another 5,000 may flee westward into Syria.
“In the event of large-scale displacement people will have to be transported over 300 kilometres before they can access a full package of assistance,” OCHA stated.
The middle Euphrates River valley that runs from Syria’s Deir ez-Zor through to Anbar’s al-Qaim is where ISIS has congregated its forces and leadership as the group lost its urban centres of Mosul and Raqqa.
Human Rights Watch has reported that Iraqi authorities are treating displaced families from Anbar with suspicion of ties to the militant group. They are being put through stringent security screenings and some are being prevented from returning home.
In disputed areas in the north of the country, OCHA documented over 184,000 people displaced, mainly from Kirkuk, Makhmour, and Tuz Khurmatu. While most quickly returned home to Kirkuk, many fled for a second time, fearing insecurity.
OCHA has seen “no discernable” returns to Tuz Khurmatu.
In Nineveh, some 20,000 people have fled to Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province from Zummar, Rabia, and Shingal.
OCHA is concerned about the situation of all the displaced as winter approaches. There are currently 3.2 million internally displaced persons in Iraq and 230,000 Syrian refugees.
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