Shafaq News – Zakho

The Iraqi government “bears responsibility” for the recent fire that swept through a displacement camp near Zakho, Yazidi lawmaker Vian Dakhil said on Saturday, warning that hundreds of displaced families have lost their only source of income.

In a statement, Dakhil said the blaze, which hit the market area of Bajed Kandala camp, southwest of Zakho in Iraq’s northern Kurdistan Region, damaged more than 50 shops, highlighting “shortcomings in safety standards and oversight at displacement camps.”

Dakhil called for immediate and fair compensation for those affected, the formation of an urgent committee to assess damages and responsibility, the implementation of preventive safety measures across camps, and the public release of investigation findings.

The Kurdistan Region hosts nearly one million displaced people and refugees, including about 664,000 internally displaced Iraqis and nearly 242,000 refugees who fled conflict and instability since the rise of ISIS and subsequent crises.