Baghdad: The Ministry of Migration and Displaced Persons (MMD) announced on Wednesday an international strategy to rehabilitate areas of return in Sinjar and provide essential services, noting the return of 30,000 displaced persons to Sinjar. “There are currently around 19,000 displaced families in the camps, distributed across 16 camps in the governorates of Erbil and Duhok, the majority of whom belong to the Yazidi community,” Ministry spokesman Ali Abbas told the Iraqi News Agency – INA.
According to Iraqi News Agency, Abbas highlighted the development of a strategy by the United Nations in coordination with the Prime Minister’s Office. This strategy aims to rehabilitate areas in Sinjar to attract returning families and leverage international efforts to address financial constraints and ensure sufficient liquidity. Field visits have been conducted in the Al-Hadar area and border villages to rehabilitate them and provide essential services, such as healthcare, education, roads, electricity, and water. This effort involves cooperation with local authorities, local governments, and international organizations to support these services and meet the daily needs of both returning and displaced families.
Abbas explained that databases no longer yield precise readings, as many internally displaced persons (IDPs) have integrated into their areas of displacement due to the long duration. They have found job opportunities providing daily income, causing the prospect of return to fall off their agenda for the time being. However, he noted that the number of returnees is significant compared to previous years, with more than 30,000 people returning to Sinjar and the areas of Al-Qahtaniyah and Sinuni, following the stabilization of security and service conditions there.
He further stated that work is underway, in line with the annual plan and the government program, to facilitate returns and close the camps file. Abbas emphasized that return is a voluntary choice for citizens, and there is no forced return, in accordance with international standards that grant families the freedom to remain, relocate, or return.