Number Of Displaced In Iraq Returning Home Declined Again

The United Nations released the latest figures on Iraq’s displaced (IDPs). In July the total number of IDPs dipped below 2 million. While that showed progress on the issue, fewer people are going home since the start of the year.

In August, there were a total of 1,920,456 displaced in Iraq. That was down from July’s 1,953,984. 33,528 people made the journey back to their home areas in August. At the start of 2018 more than 200,000 people were returning per month. That has dramatically decreased since then. In March for instance, 112,446 went back, then an average of 79,000 per month from April to May, down to an average of 45,871 from June to July.

Various aid groups have reported on the change in attitudes of IDPs. Originally, a majority said they would return as soon as the war against the Islamic State was over. Now they are concerned about security, the lack of services, destroyed homes, few jobs and little money. There is also a sizeable population of people that are banned from returning because they are accused of being connected to IS. There is another group of people that have made the trip back to their original areas, found the situation wanting and left to remain displaced. Iraq looks to be reaching the point where all those that are willing to go back have done so and the rest will simply settle where they are or attempt to leave the country.

Displaced By Province

Province	March 31	May 31	July 31	Aug 31
Ninewa	665,910	620,628	602,490	598,578
Dohuk	354,432	350,232	349,782	349,776
Irbil	232,164	222,738	217,506	216,570
Salahaddin	205,182	184,854	169,518	163,812
Sulaymaniya	165,630	154,020	151,698	150,888
Kirkuk	146,202	133,770	124,668	120,798
Baghdad	128,064	107,832	90,852	85,080
Anbar	84,552	81,192	74,982	71,664
Diyala	78,054	64,674	62,448	62,172
Najaf	36,900	30,396	23,400	17,322
Karbala	34,680	27,018	23,280	23,004
Babil	27,978	25,794	22,818	20,496
Qadisiya	13,926	12,882	12,228	12,060
Wasit	13,680	13,164	12,042	12,132
Basra	8,496	8,046	8,082	7,968
Dhi Qar	4,476	4,098	4,086	4,080
Maysan	3,126	3,006	2,832	2,796
Muthanna	1,800	1,374	1,272	1,260
TOTAL	2,205,252	2,045,718	1,953,984	1,920,456

Total Number of Displaced Oct 2017-May 2018

Month	Total Displaced	Difference
October 2017	3,174,678
November 2017	2,883,738	-290,940
December 2017	2,615,988	-267,750
February 2018	2,317,698	-298,290 (2 months)
March 2018	2,205,252	-112,446
May 2018	2,045,718	-159,534 (2 months)
Jul 2018	1,953,984	-91,734 (2 months)
August 2018	1,920,456	-33,528

SOURCES

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, “Iraq: Internally displaced people by governorate (as of 31 August 2018),” 8/31/18