Kurdish minister from London: Iraq’s terrorist threats trigger displacement surge

Shafaq News/ On Thursday, Kurdistan Region Interior Minister Rebar Ahmed warned that unresolved border disputes, failing services, and ongoing terrorist threats are again driving residents to flee.

Speaking at the Border Security conference in London, hosted by the UK Home Office and attended by representatives from 40 countries, Ahmed pressed for deeper global engagement to help stabilize Iraq across political, economic, and security fronts.

The Kurdish minister also outlined the Kurdistan Regional Government’s efforts to secure borders, combat smuggling, and reduce illegal migration through public awareness campaigns, highlighting economic reforms led by Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, including banking modernization and anti-smuggling initiatives, as key components of broader stability efforts.

Recalling decades of violence against Kurds, including chemical attacks and forced displacement, Ahmed noted that while post-2003 reconstruction brought optimism, the 2014 ISIS offensive reversed many gains, stressing that the Region remains a refuge for Yazidis, Christians, and other displaced minorities.

Ahmed concluded by urging international partners to support Iraq’s transition toward constitutional rule, institutional reform, and sustainable security.