The following article was originally published in Rudaw on June 28, 2016.
DUHOK – The Kurdistan Region will set-up five refugee camps in the city of Duhok aimed at supporting an estimated 500,000 civilians who are expected to leave their homes during the future military operation against Islamic State (ISIS) militants in Mosul.
Ismael Mohammad, the deputy governor in Duhok province, told Rudaw that Baghdad has promised Kurdistan Region to send 5 billion Iraqi Dinars (more than 4 million dollars) for this project.
“We have prepared the lands and now we are waiting for the money Baghdad is expected to send,” Mohammad explained, “the Kurdistan Region hasn’t yet received 5bn dinar Federal government promised to send.”
Refugee camps will serve desperate civilians
More than 200,000 residents of Mosul fled the city since ISIS swiftly captured it back in June 2014.
A resident of Mosul, who escaped the city two years ago and now lives with his family in a refugee camp in Duhok, told Rudaw that refugees live in “inhuman” and “harsh” conditions.
“We were waiting for the local forces to liberate our home. All we want is to go back home again,” he said.
Some local NGOs in Kurdistan Region are also taking necessary steps to help refugees when the Mosul operation begins.
Rava Haji, Program Manager of Barzani Charity Foundation, and his team discuss refugee issues regularly with international humanitarian organization and are preparing themselves for the Mosul operation.
“Barzani Charity Foundation and foreign organization are preparing to help refugees coming from Mosul,” Haji said.
“No doubt the Kurdistan Region, humanitarian NGOs and the Barzani Foundation are facing a big challenge and great pressure,” he added.
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