Some families returning to Diyalah Province but lack supplies

Some families have started returning to Diyalah Province in eastern-central Iraq after US troops ended operations against al-Qaeda fighters there on 8 October. However, most residents lack basic essentials, including food.

“Dozens of families were seen returning to Diyalah after fleeing the city [Baqubah], scared of the US air strikes,” said Mahmoud Shahir, a senior official in the Diyala Provincial Council.

“The main problem is that they are returning without money or supplies. Many families who were living as displaced persons near Baghdad or in safer areas within the province have lost everything… and now request urgent support from local aid agencies who cannot cope,” Sharir added.

About 50 families are believed to be arriving daily in the province, which is sandwiched between Baghdad and the Iranian border. Many of the children have been diagnosed with diarrhoea and malnutrition.

“Some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have delivered aid to families but many villages in the northern parts of Baqubah are still unreachable for security reasons,” said Faris Abdallah, a spokesman for Diyala provincial council.

“The military are offering protection to aid convoys arriving in the province but they have warned aid workers to reduce their numbers inside trucks for security reasons,” Abdallah added.

Shops closed

According to Nafie Obeidi, vice-president of the local NGO Iraq Aid Association (IAA), the most affected area is Jayzani al-Imam village and nearby locations between Baqubah and the River Tigris where the US offensive was more intense.

“Families around these areas are in desperate need of supplies. Shopkeepers have closed their businesses and left the villages, leaving hundreds of families without access to shops, and water has been reportedly unavailable,” Obeidi said.

“Constant military operations inside the province might help target insurgents but are seriously affecting the daily lives of residents who are being forced to move from one place to another in search of safety, and when they return home, they find themselves living in poverty,” Obeidi added.

Over 3,000 individuals reportedly fled the province after military operations began in mid-September and about 30 percent have returned to the province since 9 October.

On 8 October, about 70 tribal leaders, representing 25 tribes from Diyalah Province, met at an Iraqi army base in Muqdadiya, north of Baqubah, to discuss the future and the need to unite in the fight against “terrorism”.

as/ar/cb