08/27/2021 Iraq (International Christian Concern) – Four years since the declared defeat of the Islamic State in Iraq, Iraqis remain displaced and under-developed while the Islamic State remains a constant, background threat. The recent arrest of seven ISIS members in Nineveh province reinforces their presence in the region and does little to quell the concerns of locals.

During the rise of ISIS, more than 6 million Iraqis were displaced and as of the end of July 2021, there were still almost 1.2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs). The majority, 76%, live in private settings or homes, and only about 15% of IDPs live in camps, according to UN OCHA Iraq. Of the 27 formal camps in Iraq, only two are in federal Iraq, AAF in Anbar and Jadah 5 in Nineveh. The remaining 25 are under the administrative control of the Kurdistan Regional Government. The remaining 9% of IDPs in Iraq live in sub-standard housing, such as makeshift tents and unfinished, abandoned or non-residential buildings.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), return rates have largely stagnated, with Nineveh, Anbar, and Salah Al-Din provinces hosting the largest number of returnees. Half of all returnees live in medium to high severity conditions, meaning a lack of livelihoods, security or necessary services.

Iraq’s slow restoration process has stalled the number of returnees, with Iraqis feeling that they are unable to return home or that it would be unsafe and unwise to do so. Those who have returned experience a country that is still in transition and development from the aftermath of the Islamic State demolition.

For interviews, please contact Addison Parker: [email protected].