Iraq - IOM’s staff in Iraq’s Anbar province report waking up yesterday at 5.00 am to the sound of explosions and gunfire.

“It’s not the best way to start the day, but for me it was a sign that more families need urgent help. I’ve been waking up to bombs for the past few weeks since the fighting started,” said Mohammed. (Name changed for security reasons.)

The latest displacement figures bring the number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Iraq, due to the ongoing clashes in the Al Anbar governorate, to 49,393 families, or 296,358 individuals. As violence continues to increase, IDPs continue to move nationwide in search of safety and support.

Access to IDP locations and safe passage for humanitarian aid remains difficult as many roads are closed due to military operations.

In Al Qa’im, for example, where there are 1,000 families, the local community has almost exhausted its resources and requires significant support. There are urgent humanitarian needs among IDPs residing in schools, mosques and public buildings.

Pregnant women and children require medical care, while all families are in need of drinking water, milk for children, beds, and ovens for cooking. IDPs staying in Al-Habaniya city are also running out of food, but at this time, there is currently no safe corridor to deliver relief items.

To date IOM Iraq has delivered 1,610 NFI kits, and distributed 4,350 food parcels (283 tons) in Anbar, on behalf of WFP.

“Our work is far from done. The number of displaced individuals is increasing daily and our field staff are working 24/7 to identify the most vulnerable individuals and provide lifesaving services rapidly,” says Mandie Alexander, Emergency & M&E Coordinator IOM Iraq. “An additional 1,000 non-food relief item kits are in the pipeline and will be distributed in the coming week.”

For more information, please contact

Mandie Alexander
IOM Iraq
Tel: +962 79 6999 426 or +964 78 9245 648
Email: malexander@iom.int