Iraq: UNHCR Inter-Agency Operational Update – Iraq, 17 November 2019
Since the start of military action in North East Syria (NES) on 9 October, 15,759 individuals have crossed into the KR-I seeking refuge.
3,367 Syrian refugees have obtained clearance to reunite with family members in KR-I, or to otherwise reside outside of camps.
A total of 229 new arrivals have voluntarily returned to Syria in recent weeks.
Operational Context
Recent military operations in North East Syria forced thousands of people to flee their homes and to seek safety across the border in neighbouring Iraq. Refugees are crossing through two main informal points, Sehela and Al Walid. Two camps have been designated to host the new arrivals; Bardarash, which previously hosted internally displaced Iraqis; and Gawilan, which already hosts over 7,000 Syrian refugees who fled to Iraq earlier. As both locations are now reaching full capacity, the authorities in Dohuk Governorate are identifying an additional site. As of 16 November 2019, a total 15,759 Syrian refugees have crossed into the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KR_I). Over 10,000 individuals are hosted in Bardarash, and over 1,800 individuals in Gawilan. The number of daily arrivals into the KR-I over the past week has decreased with a new average of around 140 individuals per day.
