Refugees in Iraq suffer aid shortage amid Ukraine war
ERBIL, Iraq (AA) – The Ukraine war is leaving its impact on refugees in northern Iraq amid a shortage of aid to their camps. Refugees in the cities of Erbil and Duhok complain that aid is being diverted to Ukraine, leaving them struggling to find enough food.
Abdulkerim Muhammed Kasem, who has been living in Gevrgosk camp for nine years, said garbage is piling up everywhere in the camp.
“The United Nations does not help us anymore,” he said. “With the Ukraine war, humanitarian aid has been directed there. We ask them not to ignore us and to provide the aid they give to the Ukrainian refugees to others (as well).”
A dweller in the Sharya camp pointed out that the Iraqi government has not provided any assistance to refugees so far, noting that only the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) and the city of Duhok have hosted them.
Decreased aid
Musa Ahmed, chairman of the Barzani Relief Foundation, said the situation in the refugee camps has greatly deteriorated.
“We warned the KRG, the interior ministry, the Iraqi government and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees that international aid has decreased and that the programs of aid organizations are no longer available in most of the camps,” he said.
Ahmed warned that if the aid flow does not continue, the situation in the refugee camps will worsen.
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