Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Baghdad

Iraq repatriated 40% of Mosul refugees: local official

 Iraq repatriated 40% of Mosul refugees: local official

Displaced families. Archival photo.

Displaced families. Archival photo.

Mosul (IraqiNews.com)  Iraq has repatriated 40% civilians displaced by the war against Islamic State militants to their home regions in Mosul, an official was quoted saying.

Nour-Eddin Qablan, deputy chairman of the Nineveh province council, told Alghad Press that 40% of displaced civilians returned to their homes, but with  the rehabilitation of basic services proceeding slower than needed.

“Unfortunately,  with the extent of destruction in the western side (of Mosul), services are still below level,” the official added.

The remaining 60 percent of refugees still sheltered in camps are mostly from western Mosul, according to Qablan.

The number of refugees from Nineveh, Kirkuk’s Hawija and Salahuddin’s Shirqat since the launch of anti-IS operations in 2016 reached 1.074.91, Migration and Displacement Minister Jassem al-Jaff, said last Thursday.

The war against Islamic State militants, who took over large areas of Iraq in 2014, has displaced nearly three million people, according to Iraqi government figures.

The Iraqi government plans to repatriate all refugees by the end of 2017.

Iraqi forces, backed by a U.S.-led coalition and paramilitary troops, recaptured Mosul from IS militants early July.

Last week, the government launched a last campaign to retake Islamic State’s remaining holdouts in Anbar, Kirkuk and Salahuddin.

 

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