Iraq halts closure of Yazidi camps due to PKK occupation in Sinjar

Iraqi government decided Thursday to cancel its decision to close camps housing Yazidis who cannot return to their homes in the northern Sinjar district because it remains occupied by the PKK terrorist group.

Following an attack by the Daesh terrorist group in August 2014, Yazidis fled to camps in the city of Duhok. But due to the PKK’s ongoing occupation of Sinjar, they have been unable to return home for nearly a decade.

Despite the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displacement’s initial decision to close the camps by July 30, the PKK’s presence has forced Yazidis to endure harsh conditions at the camps.

Pir Dayan, director general of Migration, Displacement and Crisis Management in Duhok Governorate, said the closure decision was made by Baghdad without consulting the Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) or the Yazidis.

He noted ongoing discussions with the Iraqi government to find a more suitable mechanism for the camps’ situation, confirming that “the camps remain as they are, and the closure decision is on hold.”

Dayan said that some Yazidis had previously returned to Sinjar but came back to the camps due to “security issues, unemployment and a lack of services” in the PKK-controlled area.