Erbil Governor: The City has become a 'safe haven for the oppressed'

Shafaq News/ On Saturday, the governor of Erbil, Omed Khoshnaw, stated on Saturday that the province has become a "safe haven for the oppressed," both from within Iraq and neighboring countries.

During laying the foundation stone for a housing project in the Qushtapa district of Erbil, in collaboration with the Barzani Charity Foundation, Khoshnaw said, "Our city, with pride, has become a refuge for those oppressed, whether from cities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq or from neighboring countries." He further noted that there are specific camps for Kurds from Turkiye, Iran, and Syria.

"A large number of citizens from central Iraq have settled in Erbil due to the events that took place after 2014."

Notably, Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, hosts a high number of internally displaced persons (IDPs). As of recent reports, nearly 21,000 IDPs remain in camps in areas administered by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), with around 18,000 in Erbil province.

Despite efforts by the Iraqi government to close these camps and support returnees, many families are reluctant to leave due to continued violence in their hometowns and a lack of reconstruction.