UN pledges action on Sinjar Agreement
Mohamed Al Hassan, Head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and Special Representative of the Secretary-General, confirmed Wednesday that the United Nations is working 'diligently' to implement the Sinjar Agreement and improve conditions for the return of displaced families.
Speaking from a displacement camp in Duhok, Kurdistan Region, Al Hassan described the agreement —prepared by Baghdad and Erbil with UN support—as a framework to enable the return of those displaced from Sinjar in northern Iraq, where ISIS's 2014 assault triggered a Yazidi genocide and mass displacement—much of it toward Duhok.
'We are working to create the right environment for families to return to their areas,' he noted, adding that discussions with federal and Regional authorities will focus on the services and infrastructure required in Sinjar's villages.
He ruled out setting a timeline for resolving displacement but stressed that the prolonged presence of families in camps 'does not reflect the status of a country like Iraq, which is largely stable.'
According to UNHCR, Iraq is home to 1,053,038 internally displaced persons. While most reside in urban areas or informal settlements, around 100,000 remain in 21 camps—primarily in the Kurdistan Region. Provinces hosting the largest IDP populations include Nineveh, Duhok, Erbil, al-Sulaymaniyah, Kirkuk, Saladin, Diyala, Al-Anbar, and Baghdad. Nearly 4.9 million people have returned to their home areas, particularly in Nineveh and Al-Anbar, Saladin, Diyala, Kirkuk, and Baghdad.
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