Situation Overview

Until May 2012, Syria was hosting 87 000 Iraqi refugees, with a slow movement of return being recorded with MoDM. However, in July the return of Iraqi refugees increased significantly.

As fighting continues to intensify and violence increases in Syria, thousands of Iraqi refugees in that country are heading back to Iraq, with 20,353 having returned in the period 20-31 July 2012.

The majority of the returnees (15, 131) are coming by road through Al-Waleed, border crossing point, while some 5,222 of them have returned by air, mostly on flights provided free of charge by the Iraqi Government.

The arrival of the Syrian refugees stared in the Kurdistan Region in early December 2011. The region has welcomed all Syrian Kurds crossing the border and the number of arrivals has continued to increase, reaching 9053 refugees by end of July.

With the opening of the border with Syria in Ninewa and Anbar governorates on the 24th of July, 3020 additional Syrian refugees sought refuge in Al Qa’im.

UNHCR is cooperating closely with the authorities in the Kurdistan Region and Anbar to ensure an effective response to the refugees’ essential needs in protection, shelter, food, domestic items, health-care, water, sanitation and education services. To that end, a refugee camp has been established in Domiz District of Dohuk Governorate/Kurdistan Region, and another camp is being established in the border area of Al-Qa’im.