The number of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Kurdistan Region camps are increasing, only since the beginning of the second phase of Mosul operation, 3,000 people have displaced on daily basis in which 70 percent have come to the Kurdistan Region.
Hoshang Mohamed, Director General of the Joint Crisis Coordination Center speaking to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) website said, “Since the start of Mosul operation on October 17, 2016, Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced, 90,000 of them which is around 25,000 families have arrived in the Kurdistan Region and were sheltered at Khazir, Hassan Sham and Debaga camps in Erbil as well as Qaymawa and Nergizli camps in Duhok.”
Mohamed stated that “KRG has provided all basic services for the IDPs including shelter, security and protection, food, non-food items and medical services in coordination and cooperation with the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displaced, UN agencies, local and international NGOs.”
The Director General of JCC explained that “due to intensifying battle inside Mosul city and shortage of food, water, medicine, and electricity, the number of displaced people have doubled in the past ten days, to up to 3,000 individuals on daily basis, 70 percent of those have been fled to the Kurdistan Region camps. Therefore, the KRG’s capacity for sheltering more IDPs is limited, and if all camps under construction finished, KRG can only accommodate 12,000 more families.”
Second phase of Mosul operation started on December 29, 2016 causing displacement of a large number of people.
“Due to the battle inside Mosul city, the number of wounded civilians have increased, and so far 3,000 wounded people have received treatment in Erbil and Duhok hospitals. However, due to lack of direct required support from the Iraqi government and the international community, the assistance provided to those people are insufficient compared to the required needs,” JCC Director General added.
Hoshang concluded that it is difficult to help the IDPs in this way, stating that “it will have negative humanitarian consequences in a way that the cost might be bigger than providing basic, life-saving assistance.”
