Iraq - Some 29,000 Syrian refugees have streamed into Iraqi Kurdistan across two border crossings of Peshkkhabor and Sahela since 15^th August.

The refugees who are mostly Kurdish families, say they are fleeing the upsurge of violence in areas of Aleppo, Efrin, Hassakah and Kamishli in northern and northeastern Syria.

Refugees have been arriving at the two border crossings exhausted and dehydrated after walking long distances in extremely hot desert temperatures.

Until the Kurdistan authorities decided to open the Peshkkhabor crossing on 15^th August, and the Sahela crossing on 17^th August, many of the refugees waited at the border for several days with no shelter.

On 15^th August, the Kurdistan Regional Government authorities notified IOM of the impending influx of the refugees and asked for assistance.

Since then IOM has been providing transport for refugee arrivals from the border crossings to three transit facilities - Baharka (175 km) and Gawergosik (165 km) in Erbil governorate, and Aarbad (340 km) in Sulaymaniya governorate.

By Monday (19/8) IOM had moved a total of 18,500 of the 23,000 registered refugees. In close co-operation with UNHCR, IOM has also provided the refugees with water and food upon arrival.

IOM’s preliminary assessment of incoming refugees indicates 70 per cent are families with children. Often they are female-headed. About 10 per cent of the refugees are elderly and 3 per cent are people with various disabilities.

IOM, jointly with local health teams, is currently setting up emergency medical screening and referral facilities at the Sihela crossing point. It plans to post more medical staff to the site and to deploy an ambulance which will ferry the sick from the border to the camps.

For more information, please contact 

Rex Alamban
IOM Iraq
Tel: + 962799061779
Email: ralamban@iom.int

or 

Sanja Celebic-Lukova
Tel: + 962798892365
Email: scelebic@iom.int