Iraq still has over one million displaced (IDPs) caused by the war against the Islamic State. At the end of 2018 the number of returns dramatically slowed, but now it has slightly picked up in the near year.
As of February 2019 the International Organization for
Migration, the main group working with Iraq’s internal refugees, counted 1,744,980
registered displaced. Ninewa with 546,672, Dohuk with 334,014, Irbil with
212,562, Salahaddin with 128,484, and Sulaymaniya with 150,336 were the home to
the largest IDP populations. Not only that but the number of displaced slightly
increased in Irbil from 211,920 in December to 212,562 in February. That was
due to secondary displacement where people fled their homes during the war,
recently tried to go back, but because of bad conditions left again. Najaf also
received 534 new people. The main reasons for people leaving a second time were
the lack of security, few jobs, and the lack of services.
On the other hand 4,211,982 people had gone back to their
homes. From January to February 57,852 IDP made that trip. That compared to
63,816 from November to December 2018. Despite the decrease, that was at a higher
pace than the previous months. From September to October for example, there
were only 33,528 returns. Most returns were to Ninewa with 27,150, Salahaddin
with 11,214, and Kirkuk with 3,744. The major areas people were leaving were
Ninewa, Salahaddin and Anbar. Those going to Ninewa noted better security,
services, and restarting farming as the main reasons they were going back. For
Salahddin and Kirkuk IDPs said improved infrastructure, security, services, and
families repairing homes were their motivations.
95% of returnees have gone back to a residence in good
condition. The areas with the worst housing for those going home were Ninewa,
Salahaddin and Diyala, specifically the Mosul, Tikrit and Khanaqin districts of
those provinces. Poor shelter is one of the main reasons why IDPs do not want
to return. Likewise, undamaged housing is a major draw.
Overall, the rate of return has slowed down from the levels
seen in 2017-18 when over 100,000 people were going back each month. The
difficult situations in many post-war areas, especially rural ones where the
government is largely lacking and there is little reconstruction going on is a
huge deterrent to people. After the civil war of 2005-08 over one million
people never went home. Iraq will likely experience that a second time in just
a decade’s time.
Displaced By Province
|
Province
|
March
2018
|
May
|
July
|
Aug
|
Oct
|
Dec
|
Feb
2019
|
|
Ninewa
|
665,910
|
620,628
|
602,490
|
598,578
|
584,520
|
576,030
|
546,672
|
|
Dohuk
|
354,432
|
350,232
|
349,782
|
349,776
|
347,232
|
337,596
|
334,014
|
|
Irbil
|
232,164
|
222,738
|
217,506
|
216,570
|
213,402
|
211,920
|
212,562
|
|
Salahaddin
|
205,182
|
184,854
|
169,518
|
163,812
|
151,920
|
137,652
|
128,484
|
|
Sulaymaniya
|
165,630
|
154,020
|
151,698
|
150,888
|
150,876
|
150,894
|
150,336
|
|
Kirkuk
|
146,202
|
133,770
|
124,668
|
120,798
|
113,688
|
108,138
|
105,216
|
|
Baghdad
|
128,064
|
107,832
|
90,852
|
85,080
|
75,048
|
69,204
|
-
|
|
Anbar
|
84,552
|
81,192
|
74,982
|
71,664
|
70,074
|
60,684
|
-
|
|
Diyala
|
78,054
|
64,674
|
62,448
|
62,172
|
62,298
|
59,064
|
-
|
|
Najaf
|
36,900
|
30,396
|
23,400
|
17,322
|
15,264
|
12,858
|
-
|
|
Karbala
|
34,680
|
27,018
|
23,280
|
23,004
|
22,722
|
22,098
|
-
|
|
Babil
|
27,978
|
25,794
|
22,818
|
20,496
|
19,662
|
18,690
|
-
|
|
Qadisiya
|
13,926
|
12,882
|
12,228
|
12,060
|
12,012
|
11,250
|
-
|
|
Wasit
|
13,680
|
13,164
|
12,042
|
12,132
|
12,018
|
11,706
|
-
|
|
Basra
|
8,496
|
8,046
|
8,082
|
7,968
|
7,872
|
7,704
|
-
|
|
Dhi Qar
|
4,476
|
4,098
|
4,086
|
4,080
|
4,038
|
3,552
|
-
|
|
Maysan
|
3,126
|
3,006
|
2,832
|
2,796
|
2,742
|
2,592
|
-
|
|
Muthanna
|
1,800
|
1,374
|
1,272
|
1,260
|
1,260
|
1,200
|
-
|
|
TOTAL
|
2,205,252
|
2,045,718
|
1,953,984
|
1,920,456
|
1,866,648
|
1,802,832
|
1,744,980
|
Total Number of Displaced Oct 2017-Dec 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
|
|
October 2018
|
1,866,648
|
-53,808
(2
months)
|
|
December 2018
|
1,802,832
|
-63,816
(2
months)
|
|
February 2019
|
1,744,980
|
-57,852
(2
months)
|
SOURCES
International
Organization for Migration, “Displacement Tracking Matrix DTM Round 108,
February 2019,” 3/20/19
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