Iraq - The latest IOM Iraq Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) identified 3,418,332 internally displaced Iraqis (569,722 families) from 1 January 2014 through 31 March 2016.

Considering the available information, the UN Humanitarian Country Team has increased the humanitarian response planning figure from 3.3 million to 3.4 million internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Between 2 and 31 March 2016, an increase in displacement was recorded in the governorates of Anbar (48,378 individuals) and Salah al-Din (23,718 individuals) due to ongoing military operations.

As of 31 March 2016, the total IDP population comes from eight of Iraq’s 18 governorates; most of them are originally from the governorates of Anbar (43 percent or 1,486,866 individuals) and Ninewa (33 percent or 1,125,414 individuals).

Anbar is currently reporting multiple population movements due to ongoing conflict, including in the district of Heet. Repeated displacement flows have been observed from Heet to Ramadi district, where more than 30,000 IDPs were identified in March and April. This complex situation is further exacerbated by internal displacement affecting some areas of Ramadi district.

Since the beginning of March, within Anbar governorate, DTM Emergency Tracking identified an estimated 71,000 returnees (11,800 families) who have returned to their habitual residences in areas of Ramadi district, from within and outside the governorate of Anbar.

Of these returnees, 6,726 individuals (1,121 families) returned between 11 and 16 April. IOM will continue to closely monitor the numbers and overall situation of IDPs and returnees in Ramadi and Anbar.  

From 26 March to 18 April, 2,538 individuals (489 families) were displaced from villages south west of Makhmour in Ninewa governorate. This is the first monitored displacement as military operations to liberate Mosul and surrounding villages have been launched.

A total of 553,104 individuals are reported to have returned to their location of origin across Iraq. Salah al-Din governorate has experienced the highest number of returns, with 262,074 individuals. Ninewa and Diyala also reported a high number of returnees (respectively 131,766 and 118,404), mainly due to improved security conditions.

IOM Iraq Chief of Mission Thomas Lothar Weiss said: “IOM is very concerned about ongoing and recent displacement across Iraq. With more than 3.4 million Iraqis now displaced, humanitarian resources are stretched. Additional resources are needed to assist displaced Iraqis, many of whom were forced to leave their homes at a moment’s notice and require comprehensive support. IOM will continue to cooperate with the UN Humanitarian Country Team, humanitarian partners, government authorities and our donors, to assist displaced populations throughout the country.”

The newly established IOM Iraq DTM portal contains the most recent DTM Dataset, Dashboards, Dynamic Displacement Map and previous DTM products: http://iraqdtm.iom.int/Downloads.aspx

The DTM information package has been developed by IOM in coordination with the UN Humanitarian Country Team to provide an inclusive update on the IDP situation in Iraq. The DTM is funded by the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM.)

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