ADDENDUM TO UNHCR’s ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING THE INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION NEEDS OF IRAQI ASYLUM-SEEKERS This report has been produced by UNHCR on the basis of information obtained from a variety of publicly available sources, analyses and comments, as well as from information received by UNHCR staff or staff of implementing partners in Iraq. The information contained does not purport to be either exhaustive with regard to conditions in the country surveyed nor conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. The inclusion of third party information or views in this report does not constitute an endorsement by UNHCR of this information or views. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Geneva December 2007 Table of contents List of abbreviations............................................................................................................ 4 Executive summary ............................................................................................................. 6 I. Introduction................................................................................................................ 9 II. Major political and security developments............................................................ 10 1. The “Surge”...................................................................................................... 10 2. “Awakening” movements................................................................................. 13 3. “Freeze” of Mehdi Army activities .................................................................. 17 4. Sectarian segregation........................................................................................ 19 5. Political reconciliation...................................................................................... 20 6. Hand-over of security in Southern Iraq and escalation in intra- Shi’ite fighting.................................................................................................. 24 7. Civilian security................................................................................................ 27 a) Civilian casualties...............................................................................................27 b) Displacement and returns ...................................................................................29 III. Security situation in Central Iraq........................................................................... 31 1. Baghdad Governorate....................................................................................... 31 2. Al-Anbar Governorate...................................................................................... 33 3. Diyala and Salah Al-Din Governorates ............................................................ 34 4. Kirkuk and Ninewa Governorates .................................................................... 36 IV. Security situation in Southern Iraq........................................................................ 39 1. Basrah Governorate.......................................................................................... 39 2. Diwaniyah, Missan, Wassit, Muthanna and Thi-Qar Governorates..................................................................................................... 43 3. Kerbala and Najef Governorates ...................................................................... 45 4. Babel Governorate............................................................................................ 46 V. Conclusion................................................................................................................. 48 Annex I – List of sectarian killings in Baghdad...................................................... 50 Annex II – List of incidents in Baghdad Governorate targeting specific groups.......................................................................................... 56 Annex III – List of incidents in Al-Anbar Governorate targeting specific groups.......................................................................................... 60 Annex IV – List of incidents in Diyala and Salah Al-Din Governorates targeting specific groups................................................. 62 Annex V – List of incidents in Kirkuk and Ninewa Governorates ........................ 68 Annex VI – List of incidents in Basrah Governorate................................................ 77 2 Annex VII – Lists of incidents in Diwaniyah, Missan, Wassit, Muthanna and Thi-Qar Governorates .................................................. 80 Annex VIII – Lists of incidents in Kerbala and Najef Governorates......................... 82 Annex IX – Lists of incidents in Babel Governorate ................................................ 84 3 List of abbreviations AINA Assyrian International News Agency AFP Agence France-Presse AQI Al-Qa’eda in Iraq BBC British Broadcasting Company CFR Council on Foreign Relations CPA Coalition Provisional Authority CoR Council of Representatives CSIS Center for Strategic and International Studies CS Monitor Christian Science Monitor DPA Deutsche Presse-Agentur EFP Explosively Formed Penetrator GAO Government Accountability Office (United States) IAF Iraqi Accordance Front IBC Iraq Body Count ICG International Crisis Group IDP Internally displaced person IED Improvised Explosive Device IFA/IRA Internal flight/relocation alternative IIP Iraqi Islamic Party IOM International Organization for Migration IPS Inter Press Service IRCS Iraqi Red Crescent Society IRIN Integrated Regional Information Networks (United Nations) ISF Iraqi Security Forces IWPR Institute for War and Peace Reporting JAM Jaish Al-Mahdi (Mahdi/Mehdi Army) KDP Kurdistan Democratic Party KIU Kurdistan Islamic Union KRG Kurdistan Regional Government KUNA Kuwait News Agency MEMRI Middle East Media Research Institute MNF-I Multinational Forces in Iraq MoDM Ministry of Displacement and Migration NGO Non-governmental organization NIC National Intelligence Council NIE National Intelligence Estimate NPR National Public Radio PIC Provincial Iraqi Control PUK Patriotic Union of Kurdistan RFE/RL Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty RPG Rocket-propelled grenade SC Security Council (United Nations) SCIRI Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq SIIC Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council UIA United Iraqi Alliance UK United Kingdom UN United Nations 4 UNAMI United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq UNAMI HRO United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, Human Rights Office UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees US United States USDoD United States Department of Defense USDoS United States Department of State USIP United States Institute of Peace VOA Voice of America VOI Voices of Iraq 5 Executive summary In August 2007, UNHCR issued its Eligibility Guidelines for Assessing the International Protection Needs of Iraqi Asylum-seekers (“Eligibility Guidelines”).1 The purpose of the Guidelines was to facilitate the assessment of the international protection needs of Iraqi asylum-seekers. In this respect, they would assist, among others, those responsible for the adjudication of individual claims for refugee status and those involved in the establishment of government policy in relation to Iraqi asylum-seekers. They complement UNHCR’s Return Advisory and Position on International Protection Needs of Iraqis outside Iraq of 18 December 2006 (corrigendum April 2007).2 The Eligibility Guidelines were based primarily on information up to mid-February 2007. In response to requests for updated country of origin information on the situation in Central and Southern Iraq, particularly in light of recent development in those regions of the country, UNHCR is now issuing an Addendum to update the Eligibility Guidelines in this regard. The focus of this update is on developments in Central and Southern Iraq from February to November 2007. While there have been developments in the three Northern Governorates of Sulaymaniyah, Erbil and Dahuk during this period, particularly in relation to tensions at the border with Turkey, these are not addressed in this Addendum, as, on the whole, they have not been as significant with regard to the international protection considerations for asylum-seekers from Iraq. The Addendum deals primarily with the significant security and political developments between February and November 2007. It covers a number of key topics and issues that were originally addressed in the Eligibility Guidelines, such as the general security situation, sectarian violence, sectarian segregation, and political reconciliation. Other topics are addressed for the first time in the Addendum and include the “surge” of U.S. troops, the development of “awakening” movements (tribal and insurgency groups turning against Al-Qa’eda in Iraq), the “freeze” of activities of the Jaish Al-Mahdi (Mehdi Army), and the handover of security and increasing Shi’ite-on-Shi’ite violence in Southern Iraq. The information shows that there have indeed been some improvements in the security situation in parts of Central Iraq. The most noteworthy security development is the significant decrease in sectarian killings and overall civilian casualties. The level of human rights abuses and sectarian and intra-sectarian violence, however, remains high in Central and Southern Iraq. Civilian casualties are still at a high level, with acts of targeted violence, including car bombings, suicide