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Iraq brings home almost 200 refugees from Turkey

Iraq brings home almost  refugees from Turkey
Iraq brings home almost 200 refugees from Turkey

2019-02-22 00:00:00 - Source: kurdistan 24

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi Ministry of Displacement and Migration on Friday announced the return of 199 refugees from Turkey under the voluntary program provided by the government.

Sattar Newrouz, the Director-General for IDPs and refugees affairs in the Ministry, stated that the returnees were part of “a program provided by the Ministry for those wishing to voluntarily return from Turkey” through the Kurdistan Region’s Ibrahim Khalil International Border Crossing.

He mentioned that his Ministry cooperates with the Foreign Affairs and Transport ministries which provide buses to transport the returnees from the Kurdistan Region’s Duhok province to their hometowns, as well as with food given in cooperation with the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees.

The Iraqi nationals were brought home from Turkey’s Akda refugee camp, the statement added.

Following the emergence of the Islamic State and its expansion in 2014, six million Iraqis were internally displaced, with thousands fleeing abroad to neighboring and western countries.

Since the beginning of this year, the Iraqi federal government has actively helped IDPs and Iraqi refugees return to liberated areas. Many, however, continue to resist a forced return to their towns due to security concerns and lack of basic services.

Over the past year, the Islamic State has carried out insurgency attacks, kidnappings, and ambushes in the country despite Iraq declaring victory against the jihadist group in December 2017.

Editing by Nadia Riva





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