DTMDISPLACEMENT EMERGENCY AND RETURNS TO TRACKINGAND AL-BA’AJ DISTRICTS DISPLACEMENT AND RETURNS TO PERIOD COVERED: SINJAR AND AL-BA’AJ DISTRICTS 4 TO 31 JANUARY 2021

*All charts/graphs in this document show total figures for the period of 8 June 2020 to 31 January 2021

Between 4 and 31 January 2021, DTM tracked 1,256 individuals (227 families) 46,558 returning to Sinjar and Al-Ba’aj districts in ’s Ninewa Governorate. This brings 77% 23% the total number of individuals who have taken this route to 46,558 (8,721 fami- INDIVIDUALS Returnees Out-of-camp lies) since data collection commenced on 8 June 2020. IDPs 8,721 In this reporting period, the average number of daily individual arrivals was 39 to Sinjar (down significantly from 111 in the last round) and five to Al-Ba’aj (down FAMILIES from 10 in the last round). In this period, the daily number of arrivals to Sinjar Moved to Sinjar and 91% 9% was significantly lower than the overall daily average since 8 June (181). The daily Al-Ba’aj districts to Sinjar to Al-Ba’aj number of arrivals to Al-Ba’aj was also lower than the overall daily average since 8 June (17). Of those individuals who arrived between 4 and 31 January 2021, a total of 1,124 81% 18% <1% <1% <1% were recorded in Sinjar (89%) and 132 were recorded in Al-Ba’aj (11%) – broadly from consistent with the rates of individuals’ districts of arrival since 8 June. from Dahuk from Ninewa from from Kerbala The most common sub-district of arrival was Al-Shamal with 731 individuals (58%), followed by Markaz Sinjar with 283 individuals (23%). Together, these two Mostly from Mostly from Mostly from Mostly from All from and Al-Shikhan Sulaymaniyah Kerbala district sub-districts comprise 78 per cent of all individuals recorded as having arrived to Sumel districts district district Sinjar and Al-Ba’aj since data collection commenced on 8 June. Otherwise, 132 arrived to Al-Qahtaniyah (10%) and 110 individuals arrived to the sub-district of Qaeyrrawan (9%). Of those individuals identified as returning between 4 and 31 January 2021, 1,058 69% 31% were recorded as returnees (84%), while the remaining 198 were recorded as from camp settings from out-of-camp settings out-of-camp IDPs (16%). This represents a minor deviation from the overall proportion of individuals having been identified as returnees (77%) and out-of- camp IDPs (23%) since 8 June. INDIVIDUALS BY SUB-DISTRICT OF ARRIVAL Additionally, between 4 and 31 January 2021, a total of 993 individuals were recorded as departing from Dahuk Governorate (79%) – which is similar to the 23,218 rates of individuals having departed from there since 8 June (81%). As with all +731 previous rounds, between 4 and 31 January 2021, the majority of individuals from Dahuk were recorded as coming from the districts of Sumel (61% of all individ- 13,272 +283 uals) and Zakho (16%). The remaining individuals from Dahuk Governorate were 22,487 6,067 recorded as coming from the districts of Amedi (2% of all individuals) and Dahuk 3,996 12,989 +110 (<1%). +132 5,957 3,864 5 Additionally, between 3 and 31 January 2021, a further 183 individuals were Al-Qahtaniya Markaz Al-Ba'aj Al-Shamal Markaz Sinjar Qaeyrrawan recorded as having come from within Ninewa (15% of all individuals), from two Al-Ba'aj Sinjar districts: 168 came from Al-Shikhan (14%) and 15 came from Sinjar (1%). This proportion (15%) of individuals recorded as having come from Ninewa 8 June 2020 – 3 January 2021 4 – 31 January 2021 Grand Total between 4 and 31 January 2021 is consistent with the overall proportion of indi- viduals recorded as having come from there since 8 June (18%). Otherwise, in this Map 1. Population Movements to Sinjar and Al-Ba’aj districts reporting period, 80 individuals arrived from (6%), and unlike previous rounds, no individuals arrived from Erbil or Kerbala Governorates. Number of individuals

3 - 1,534 Zakho Since 8 June, almost all individuals have been recorded as having departed from 1,535 - 11,861 Dahuk Amedi 11,862 - 20,590 the districts of Sumel (49%) and Zakho (28%) in Dahuk Governorate, and Sumel Dahuk To Al-Ba’aj Mergasur To Sinjar Al-Shikhan (14%) in Ninewa Governorate. District boundary

Governorate boundary Telafar Al-Shikhan Between 4 and 31 January 2021, of the 1,124 individuals who arrived to Sinjar Tilkaif Soran , 899 came from Dahuk Governorate (80%), while 145 came from within

Shaqlawa Ninewa (13%), and 80 came from Sulaymaniyah (7%). Additionally, of the 132 indi- Al-Hamdaniya Erbil Rania Pshdar

Sinjar viduals who arrived to Al-Ba’aj District, 94 came from Dahuk Governorate (71%) Erbil Koisnjaq and 38 came from within Ninewa (29%). Ninewa Dokan Furthermore, during the same period, a total of 589 individuals were recorded as Makhmur Al-Ba'aj Sulaymaniyah coming from camp settings (47%), while the remaining 667 individuals came from Dabes Sulaymaniya

From Kerbala out-of-camp settings (53%). This represents a deviation from the rates of indi- Al-Shirqat Kirkuk viduals coming from different settings since 8 June, as follows: 32,182 individuals Al-Hawiga have arrived from camp settings (69%) while 14,376 individuals have arrived from

Salah Al-Din Tooz Kalar Anbar Al-Ka'im Ra'ua out-of-camp settings (31%). Between 3 and 31 January 2021, increases were recorded in the number of In addition, since 8 June 2020, the total number of individuals who have come individuals who had been living in camp settings in their previous districts of from out-of-camp settings within Sumel is now 7,995 (up from 7,507), while displacement. Since 8 June 2020, the total number of individuals now in Sinjar Zakho’s is now 2,122 (up from 2,078), and Al-Shikhan’s is 1,126 (up from 1,087). and Al-Ba’aj who have come from camp settings within Sumel is now 14,896 (up from 14,617), while Zakho’s is 10,963 (up from 10,808), and Al-Shikhan’s is 5,483 (up from 5,354).

INDIVIDUALS BY DISTRICT OF DEPARTURE

22,891 8 June 2020 – 3 January 2021 4 – 31 January 2021 Grand Total +767

13,085 +199

6,609 +168

922 1,046 728 547 263 294 +5 30 +15 3 10 10 8 34 15 15 48 +22 - +64 +16 - Amedi Dahuk Sumel Zakho Al-Shikhan Mosul Sinjar Telafar Tilkaif Akre Erbil Soran Sulaymaniya Sharbazher Chamchamal Dokan Kerbala

Dahuk Ninewa Erbil Sulaymaniyah Kerbala

INDIVIDUALS BY TYPE OF LOCATION IN PREVOUS DISTRICT OF DISPLACEMENT (CAMP/OUT-OF-CAMP) 8 June 2020 – 3 January 2021 4 – 31 January 2021 Grand Total

14,896 +279

10,963 +155 7,995 +488 5,483 +129

2,122 1,126 1,046 684 836 547 +44 44 86 +5 263 30 +15 3 56 238 34 10 4 11 10 8 15 48 +39 +22 +4 +60 +16

Camp Out of Camp Out of Camp Out of Out of Out of Out of Camp Out of Out of Out of Camp Out of Camp Out of Out of Out of Camp Out of Camp Out of Out of Out of camp camp camp camp camp camp camp camp camp camp camp camp camp camp camp camp camp

Al-Shikhan Amedi Dahuk Erbil Mosul Sinjar Sum el Telafar Tilkaif Zakho Sulaymaniya Sha rbazher Soran Chamchamal Akre Sha qlawa Dokan Kerbala

WEEKLY AVERAGE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUAL ARRIVALS TO SINJAR AND AL-BA’AJ DISTRICTS

372 380 364 372 346 322 314 318 296 296 280 265 247 241 245 231 175 192 179 147 143 155 109 94 108 74 54 67 67 41 29 41 6 6 4 Jul 2021 2020 11 Jul 18 Jul 25 Jul 6 Sep 1 Nov 1 Aug 8 Aug 4 Oct 7 Dec 10 Jan 17 Jan 25 Jan 31 Jan 13 Jun 20 Jun 27 Jun 8 Nov 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Sep 16 Aug 23 Aug 30 Aug 11 Oct 18 Oct 25 Oct 13 Dec 20 Dec 27 Dec 14 Nov 22 Nov 29 Nov 5 to 3 Jan 2 to 4 to 8 to 2 to 12 to 19 to 7 to 9 to 5 to 7 to 11 to 19 to 26 to 14 to 21 to 9 to 14 to 21 to 28 Dec to 17 to 24 to 12 to 19 to 14 to 21 to 16 to 23 to 28 Jun to 26 Jul to 31 Aug to 26 Oct to 28 Sep to 30 Nov to 2020 2021 ADDITIONAL ANECDOTAL NARRATIVE Reasons for returns Assistance and registration • Reasons for IDPs returning to Sinjar include their desire to go home, • Reportedly, the Directorate of National Security in Sinjar has established as well as the improved security situation in their areas of origin, while a feedback/complaint/response mechanism in the form of a hotline to be Mukhtars, local NGOs and returnees have also encouraged IDPs to used by the new returnees or IDPs willing to return to their areas of origin return home. Threats facing eviction in locations of displacement is in Sinjar. The main purpose of the system is to enable authorities to follow also a factor for those IDPs returning to Sinjar. Otherwise, the main up on emerging issues/complaints, including but not limited to difficulties at reason for IDPs returning to Al-Ba’aj also relates to their desire to go checkpoints, as well as on reports that some of the newly returned individ- home, while the availability of services (such as education and health) uals occupy buildings that do not belong to them. in their areas of origin is also central to the decision. Challenges faced by returnees • One of the push factors has been COVID-19 pandemic, as some families who had a member working in the area of origin and moving • Debris removal has been noted as an obstacle to return, given the back and forth between Sinjar and an area of displacement could no large-scale destruction that took place in Sinjar. longer move easily due to movement restrictions, which then pushed • There are reports of individuals having returned to areas with limited the IDPs to return. basic services such as healthcare, markets, water, and electricity and having not received assistance. Some of these locations had not previ- ously witnessed any returns.

© 2021 International Organization for Migration (IOM) The information in this report is the result of data collected by IOM field teams and complements information provided by governmental and other entities in Iraq. IOM Iraq endeavors to keep this information as up to date and accurate as possible, but makes no claim —expressed or implied— on the completeness, accuracy and suitability of the information provided through 2 IOM Iraq thanks the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, this report. Names and boundaries on DTM information products do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by IOM. Refugees and Migration (PRM) for its continued support.