More than 200 displaced families prepare to return to Sinjar

Shafaq News- Duhok

A total of 235 displaced families living in Qadia Camp have registered to leave the camp and resettle in Iraq’s Sinjar, more than 12 years after they were displaced by the ISIS offensive, a camp official revealed on Monday.

Zana Mohammed, director of the camp south of the Zakho autonomous administration in the Kurdistan Region, told Shafaq News that the process has been organized into four stages, with 47 families departing in the first convoy and 59 more joining Monday's group.

Some residents, Mohammed added, have deferred relocation because they still lack adequate housing in Sinjar.

Camp authorities coordinated with Iraq’s Ministry of Migration and Displacement to complete the necessary procedures. Each household also received 1.558 million Iraqi dinars ($1.01K) from the International Organization for Migration, the Kurdistan Region’s migration authorities, and the Barzani Charity Foundation to cover transportation expenses for furniture and personal belongings.

According to Mohammed, the departures have been particularly emotional for children who spent most of their lives in the camp, though many families have long viewed Sinjar as their ultimate destination.

One resident, Khidr Ali, noted to Shafaq News that leaving after 12 years is a difficult step but expressed hope that additional services and support would help families reestablish themselves in the district, while Khdida Hasso, another camp resident, pointed to shortcomings in public services and lingering security concerns, arguing that conditions are not yet suitable for permanent resettlement.

Thousands of families fled Sinjar during the ISIS offensive in 2014. Dian Jafar, head of Duhok’s Department of Migration, Displacement, and Crisis Response, previously told Shafaq News that about 110,000 Sinjar residents still live in camps and are unable to return.

Read more: Over 110,000 Sinjar residents still displaced after nearly 12 years