Iraq -  The IOM Iraq Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM), published this week, identified 3,206,736 internally displaced Iraqis (534,456 families) from 1 January 2014 through 29 September 2015.

Considering the available information and the DTM methodology, the UN Humanitarian Country Team will maintain the humanitarian response planning figures at 3.2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs).

The majority (87 per cent) of IDPs are reported to be originally from three governorates: Anbar, 42 per cent (1,334,592 individuals); Ninewa, 32 per cent (1,011,606); and Salah al-Din, 13 per cent (407,142).

From 27 August to 29 September 2015 DTM recorded increases in the number of IDPs originally from Anbar (22,368 individuals), Ninewa (20,412 individuals), and Kirkuk governorates (10,200 individuals).

This increase may be due to ongoing clashes between armed groups and the Iraqi Security Forces in the area of Falluja in Anbar, around the city of Kirkuk and in the villages surrounding the city of Mosul, in Ninewa.

The governorates hosting the largest IDP populations remain: Anbar, 18 per cent (583,050 individuals); Baghdad, 18 per cent (577,584); Dohuk, 13 per cent (426,966); Kirkuk, 13 per cent (401,280); Erbil, 9 per cent (284,310); Ninewa, 6 per cent (203,652); and Sulaymaniyah, 5 per cent (161,724). These seven governorates collectively host 82 per cent of the total identified IDP population.

Over 400,000 displaced Iraqis are reported to have returned to their location of origin. Over half (218,928 individuals) have returned to Salah al-Din governorate, more than one-third of whom (155,694) to Tikrit district, specifically to Merkaz, Tikrit. This return movement began in mid-June. Over the month of September 2015, the total number of returnees increased by 43,794 individuals.

IOM Iraq Chief of Mission Thomas Lothar Weiss said: “Displacement in Iraq continues to increase; displaced people are in need of comprehensive support; most fled their homes with only what they could carry. In cooperation with the UN Humanitarian Country Team, humanitarian partners, government authorities and our donors, IOM is responding to displacement with the provision of shelter and non-food aid (NFI) kits, and is providing health and psychosocial services. This life-saving assistance is essential; displaced Iraqis are highly vulnerable and need our utmost support.”

Along with this DTM report, the DTM Group Assessment was also published, conveying detailed survey data on internally displaced Iraqis collected between January and March 2015. A total of 9,924 groups were assessed, representing 2.3 million individuals, in 2,518 locations across 18 governorates.

The Group Assessment collects age and sex disaggregated data, information on area of origin, time of displacement, primary needs, vulnerabilities, reasons for displacement, health access and conditions, and movement intentions. 

Overall 94 per cent report generalized violence as the main reason for fleeing their homes; 83 per cent report that they feel safe in their location of displacement; and 89 per cent expressed an intention to return to their place or origin. 

The most recent IOM Iraq DTM Dataset, Dashboards, Dynamic Displacement Map, and previous DTM products, can be found at: http://iomiraq.net/dtm-page

For further information please contact IOM Iraq. Sandra Black, Tel. +964 751 234 2550, Email: sblack@iom.int or Laura Nistri, Email: lnistri@iom.int