Iraqi government closes Tazade camp after repatriating the last residents

Shafaq News/ Iraq's Ministry of Migration and Displaced has shut down the Tazade displacement camp in al-Sulaymaniyah following the repatriation of the remaining families to their hometowns in Diyala and Saladin on Tuesday.

According to a ministry statement, all returning families received a financial grant of four million Iraqi dinars ($2,700) upon arrival. They will also benefit from ongoing relief assistance programs offered by the government.

Minister Evan Faiq Jabro expressed gratitude to the authorities in al-Sulaymaniyah and Garmian for their "significant cooperation" in facilitating the federal government's plan to repatriate displaced persons and close camps.

Jabro reiterated the ministry's commitment to fulfilling this objective by working alongside all relevant actors.

Iraq generously hosts around 300,000 refugees and asylum seekers, over 90% of whom live in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, according to data from the United Nations. Over 260,000 Syrians, predominantly Kurdish, in addition to refugees and asylum seekers from Iran, Turkiye, Palestine, and other countries, currently reside in Iraq.

Over 60% of Syrian refugees live in urban areas, while the rest are in nine refugee camps.

More than one million Iraqis remain internally displaced by the ISIS insurgency, which was defeated in 2017, while 5 million persons have returned to their hometowns. The Kurdistan Region houses 25 displacement camps, hosting around 180,000 individuals.

Both in their displacement and when they return, many families continue to face security risks, lack of local integration opportunities, limited livelihood opportunities and financial resources, and lack of civil documentation. Many households face significant barriers to return, especially those with perceived affiliation to extremist groups.