IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation is geared to build a tent city for tens of thousands of people who are forced to flee their homes due to conflict in Mosul. 

The chaos that started with the US invasion still continues in Iraq. There are millions of internally displaced people who had to flee their homes and became refugees in their own homeland. As a result law and order has totally collapsed, the sectarian violence has been instigated, and the region is far from safe.

In a chaotic situation as such people prefer migrating to safer places which include Erbil, Duhok and Suleimaniye. So there are dozens of camps in and around these cities. However over the past years things got only worse and the Syrian crisis on top of it increased the number of local and foreign refugees to an enormous number.

Kirkuk which is only an hour away from Iraqi Kurdistan’s capital Erbil is also affected from this wave of refugees. Kirkuk which is not as developed as the other cities in Iraqi Kurdistan showed an example of solidarity and opened the doors of camps, mosques, schools, and hotels to the refugees. IHH is carrying out emergency aid operations in those districts as well.

Mosul Problem

Mosul which was taken over by ISIS on June, 2014 has turned to an open-air prison since then. With the occupation around 1.5 million locals –the half of its population- migrated to Dohuk, Kirkuk, Suleymaniye and Erbil.

After ISIS closed the gates entirely around 2 million people have been locked in inside and have been living in abject poverty. Entries and exits are denied and no humanitarian organization could enter the zone.   

“Mosul Rescue Operation,” which has been planned over a year, started last week and Mosul is besieged from all sides. 

According to the latest reports from the region, a big wave of refugees did not form yet. 60 families marching in groups from Mosul to Tikrit have entered Northern Iraq from via Tikrit-way. Another 200 families – around one thousand people- found refuge in Debika camp in the south of Duhok. Meanwhile 80 families of 560 people were admitted to the refugee camp located in Nerkizliyye neighbourhood in Dohuk’s Şeyhan town. The number of refugees grows daily while the incoming locals are placed in the camps located across the region.

Two Different Views

There are two prominent views regarding migration. One of them is that Mosul people are not going to migrate and if they do the region is going to be taken over by Shiite militia. The other view is that half of the population – around 1 million people- is going to be internally displaced.  If that scenario happens they are going to be placed in the camps around Duhok, Suleymaniye, Chemdjamal, Kirkuk, Ninovave and Erbil.

The Iraqi Kurdish government in return has promised to admit 100.000 refugees in the refugee camps located in its territory. However, taking the number of refugees into consideration it is not even 10% of the total number. This demonstrates the magnitude of the chaos that will going to happen in Iraq. Moreover, due to the chaotic migration conditions it is feared that Hashd al-Shaabi militia is going to carry out massacres.

Meanwhile tens of thousands of displaced locals of Mosul who not live in the camps set up in the south of Mosul are receiving emergency aid. Due to the war they have no job opportunities. As a result the camp residents are entirely dependent on external aid for their survival. With a second wave of refugees the camps will no longer be able to provide for them and the suffering will be incomprehensible.

Tent City for 2.000 Families

IHH Humanitarian aid Organization keeps up its relief efforts to reach out to Iraqi people in need.

Lately, tens of thousands of people who are living Mosul are forced to flee their homes due to the recent military campaign. IHH is putting up its best efforts to take care of these people. IHH is preparing to set up a tent city of 12.000 people in Bardarash town 40 km. off Mosul with the consent of Dudok mayor. The well-equipped camp is designed to provide for the needs of refugees as much as possible.  The camps will feature a school, a medical centre, playgrounds and masjid. IHH will regularly deliver food hampers and healthcare kits to the camp residents.