Iraq faces lingering aftermath of war against ISIS, $100 billion in losses

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - The Iraqi government has incurred nearly $100 billion in financial losses due to the three-year war against ISIS. Seven years after declaring victory over the group, Iraq continues to grapple with the war's repercussions.

In April, the US-based advocacy group Defense for Democracy reported that despite losing its main forces in Mosul and Raqqa, ISIS remains active with its sleeper cells posing ongoing threats.

The US Central Command estimated ISIS has around 2,500 fighters, while Iraqi authorities have claimed the group has disappeared.

The al-Hol camp in Syria, housing over 43,000 people from 45 countries, mainly Iraqis and Syrians linked to ISIS, is considered a major threat to Iraq and is dubbed a "time bomb."

Read More: Concerns rise as Iraqi government prepares to repatriate more ISIS families

Since 2021, the Iraqi government has repatriated 5,000 individuals, some now residing in the al-Jeddah 5 camp. It remains uncertain if these individuals can be successfully reintegrated into society.

Read More: Iraq repatriates over 1,300 families so far from Syria’s al-Hol, says national security advisor

Additionally, the Iraqi government faces accusations of mass executions and human rights abuses, having executed thousands accused of ISIS affiliations since 2017, with another 8,000 on death row.

The refugee return issue also persists, with over 743,000 refugees from various parts of Iraq still displaced, many residing in camps in the Kurdistan Region.

The KRG advises the Iraqi government on refugee returns and calls for the implementation of the Sinjar Agreement to clear Sinjar of armed groups.

The remnants of war continue to endanger civilians, with the Iraqi government struggling to clear these hazardous areas, which still pose significant threats to life and safety.