Kurdistan continues to host nearly 1 million IDPs and refugees: JCC
The majority of IDPs and refugees reside alongside host communities within the region, only 30% living in 36 designated camps.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region remains a refuge for hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees, with a staggering 928,649 individuals seeking shelter, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Joint Crisis Coordination Center (JCC) reported on Friday.
The Kurdistan Region continues to host the largest
— JCC_KRG (@JccKrg) May 19, 2023
number of IDPs and refugees. There are still (928,649)
IDPs and Refugees in Kurdistan Region
(664,224 IDPs) and
(246,810) Syrian, (7,860)Turkish, (8,241) Iranian, and
(615
(Palestinian refugees & (889) Others. pic.twitter.com/C2Z8jQqcU2
This includes 664,224 IDPs, and 246,810 Syrian, 7,860 Turkish, 8,241 Iranian, 615 Palestinian refugees, and 899 refugees from other countries.
The majority of IDPs and refugees reside alongside host communities within the region, with only 30% living in 36 designated camps, while the remaining 70% have settled outside of these camps. Geographically, 41% of the total displaced population reside in Erbil, 40% in Duhok, and 19% in Sulaymaniyah.
The majority of IDPs and refugees live with the host communities in the Kurdistan Region, while only (30%) live in the (36) camps, and (70%) live in outside camps. 41% of the total displaced population live in Erbil, 40% in Duhok, and 19% in Sulaymaniyah. pic.twitter.com/A3sjp6CgI3
— JCC_KRG (@JccKrg) May 19, 2023
Read More: KRG appoints a woman as its crisis response chief
Recently, Srwa Rasul was appointed as the Director General of the KRG’s Joint Crisis Coordination Center (JCC) on May 8.
According to the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displacement, there are 26 refugee camps in the Kurdistan Region.
The KRG’s Minister of Interior, Reber Ahmed, earlier this month said that despite Iraq’s “enormous budget,” Baghdad has not fulfilled its duties with regard to refugees and IDPs.
He reiterated the KRG’s support for a voluntary return of all displaced populations, nearly one million IDPs and refugees in the Kurdistan Region, and commitment not to close down any camps as long as there are vulnerable people who need protection.
Read More: German Foreign Minister thanks PM Barzani for hosting the largest number of IDPs since 2014
The Iraqi government since Oct. 2020 has implemented a policy to close down IDP camps. In April, the Iraqi government closed down the Jeddah 5 IDP in the Ninewa Governorate, leading to criticism by the UN.
The Iraqi minister of migration and displacement has recently accused the KRG of using the refugees and IDPs for political purposes, a charge the KRG vehemently denies.