DTMDISPLACEMENT EMERGENCY AND RETURNS TO SINJAR TRACKINGAND AL-BA’AJ DISTRICTS DISPLACEMENT AND RETURNS TO PERIOD COVERED: SINJAR AND AL-BA’AJ DISTRICTS 17 TO 29 OCTOBER 2020 *All charts/graphs in this document show total figures for the period of 8 June to 29 October 2020 Between 17 and 29 October 2020, DTM tracked 2,803 individuals (546 families) returning to Sinjar and Al-Ba’aj districts in Iraq’s Ninewa Governorate. This brings the 34,164 74% 26% total number of individuals who have taken this route to 34,164 (6,405 families) since INDIVIDUALS Returnees Out-of-camp data collection commenced on 8 June 2020. IDPs 6,405 In this reporting period, the average number of daily individual arrivals was 192 to Sinjar FAMILIES and 23 to Al-Ba’aj. In this period, the daily number of arrivals to Sinjar is lower than the overall daily average since 8 June (219), while the daily average number of arrivals to Moved to Sinjar and 91% 9% Al-Ba’aj districts to Sinjar to Al-Ba’aj Al-Ba’aj is consistent with overall average since 8 June (22). Of those individuals who returned between 17 and 29 October, a total of 2,501 were recorded in Sinjar (89%) and 390 were recorded in Al-Ba’aj (11%) – broadly consistent 81% 18% <1% <1% with the rates of individuals’ districts of arrival since 8 June. The most common sub-district of arrival was Al-Shamal with 1,233 individuals (44%), from Dahuk from Ninewa from Erbil from Sulaymaniyah followed by Qaeyrrawan with 645 individuals (23%), and Markaz Sinjar with 623 indi- viduals (22%). Together, these three sub-districts comprise 91 per cent of all individuals Mostly from Zakho Mostly from Al- Mostly from Mostly from recorded as having arrived to Sinjar and Al-Ba’aj since data collection commenced on and Sumel districts Shikhan district Erbil district Sulaymaniyah district 8 June. Otherwise, 302 individuals arrived to the sub-district of Al-Qahtaniyah (11%). Of those individuals identified as returning between 17 and 29 October, 2,212 were recorded as returnees (79%), while the remaining 591 were recorded as out-of-camp 71% 29% IDPs (21%). This represents a minor deviation from the overall proportion of individuals from camp settings from out-of-camp settings having been identified as returnees (74%) and out-of-camp IDPs (26%) since 8 June. Map 1. Population Movements to Sinjar and Al-Ba’aj districts INDIVIDUALS BY SUB-DISTRICT OF ARRIVAL Zakho Dahuk Amedi Sumel Dahuk 16,353 Mergasur +1,233 Telafar Al-Shikhan Akre 10,396 Tilkaif Soran Choman +623 15,120 Shaqlawa 4,372 Al-Hamdaniya Rania Pshdar 3,038 Erbil 9,773 Sinjar +645 Erbil +302 5 Mosul 3727 Koisnjaq 2,736 Ninewa Dokan Sharbazher Al-Qahtaniya Markaz Al-Ba'aj Al-Shamal Markaz Sinjar Qaeyrrawan Makhmur Al-Ba'aj Sulaymaniyah Dabes Al-Ba'aj Sinjar Sulaymaniya Hatra Kirkuk Number of individuals Al-Shirqat Chamchamal To Al-Ba’aj Kirkuk 3 - 1,190 To Sinjar Al-Hawiga 1,191 - 8,539 Daquq 8 June – 16 October 17 – 29 October Grand Total District boundary 8,540 - 15,779 Governorate boundary Salah Al-Din Tooz Kalar Anbar Baiji Al-Ka'im Ra'ua Haditha Tikrit Additionally, between 17 and 29 October, a total of 2,235 individuals were Al-Shikhan (15% of all individuals) and Sinjar (3%). This proportion (19%) of recorded as departing from Dahuk Governorate (80%) – which is similar to the individuals recorded as having come from Ninewa between 17 and 29 October rates of individuals having departed from there since 8 June (81%). As with all is broadly consistent with the overall proportion of individuals recorded as previous rounds, between 17 and 29 October, the majority of individuals from having come from there since 8 June (18%). Otherwise, 19 individuals were Dahuk were recorded as coming from the districts of Sumel (42% of all indi- recorded as arriving from Erbil Governorate (1% of all individuals), while eight viduals) and Zakho (34%). The remaining individuals from Dahuk Governorate individuals arrived from Sulaymaniyah Governorate (1%). were recorded as coming from the districts of Amedi (2%) and Dahuk (1%). Since 8 June, almost all individuals have been recorded as having departed from Additionally, between 17 and 29 October, a further 541 individuals were Sumel (50% of all individuals), Zakho (28%), and Al-Shikhan districts (14%). recorded as having come from within Ninewa (19%), mainly from two districts: INDIVIDUALS BY DISTRICT OF DEPARTURE 8 June – 16 October 17 – 29 October Grand Total 16,969 +1,181 9,445 +967 4,900 +432 520 618 28 823 3 444 10 204 10 8 166 12 +57 +30 +80 +21 +8 +11 +8 Amedi Dahuk Sumel Zakho Al-Shikhan Mosul Sinjar Telafar Tilkaif Akre Erbil Soran Shaqlawa Sulaymaniya Sharbazher Dahuk Ninewa Erbil Sulaymaniyah DISPLACEMENT AND RETURNS TO SINJAR AND AL-BA’AJ DISTRICTS Between 17 and 29 October, of the 2,501 individuals who arrived to Sinjar from out-of-camp settings (29%). District, 2,031 came from Dahuk Governorate (81%), while 443 came from Between 17 and 29 October, increases were recorded in the number of within Ninewa (18%), 19 came from Erbil (1%), and 8 came from Sulaymaniyah individuals who had been living in camp settings in their previous districts of (1%). Additionally, of the 302 individuals who arrived to Al-Ba’aj District, 204 displacement. The total number of individuals now in Sinjar and Al-Ba’aj who came from Dahuk (68%) and 98 came from within Ninewa (32%). have come from camp settings within Sumel is now 11,749 (up from 10,887), Furthermore, during the same period, a total of 2,049 individuals were recorded while Zakho’s is 7,821 (up from 7,032), and Al-Shikhan’s is 4,023 (up from as coming from camp settings (73%), while the remaining 754 individuals came 3,697). from out-of-camp settings (27%). This is broadly consistent with the rates of In addition, since 8 June, the total number of individuals who have come from individuals coming from different settings since 8 June, as follows: 24,217 individ- out-of-camp settings within Sumel is now 5,220 (up from 4,901), while Zakho’s uals have arrived from camp settings (71%) while 9,947 individuals have arrived is now 1,624 (up from 1,446), and Al-Shikhan’s is 877 (up from 771). INDIVIDUALS BY TYPE OF LOCATION IN PREVOUS DISTRICT OF DISPLACEMENT (CAMP/OUT-OF-CAMP) 8 June – 16 October 17 – 29 October Grand Total 11,749 +862 7,821 789 5,220 4,023 +319 +326 1,624 877 532 823 476 44 86 204 28 3 444 +178 48 118 12 10 4 10 8 +14 +80 +21 +106 +48 +9 +16 +11 +8 +2 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 Camp Out of 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 NUMBER OF INDIVIDUAL ARRIVALS PER DAY 707 616 562 572 519 491 509 389 375 382 353 369 339 350 332 267 350 258 217 207 220 221 196 205 177 268 256 151 258 248 223 205 82 88 88 56 66 33 145 54 44 38 136 5 35 103 14 62 8 11 14 17 20 23 26 29 2 5 8 11 14 17 20 23 26 29 1 4 7 10 13 17 21 24 27 30 2 5 8 11 14 17 20 23 26 29 2 5 8 11 14 17 20 23 26 29 June July Augus t September October 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 • Debris removal has been noted as an obstacle to return, given the families who had a member working in the area of origin and moving large-scale destruction that took place in Sinjar. back and forth between Sinjar and an area of displacement could no • There are reports of individuals having returned to areas with limited longer move easily due to movement restrictions, which then pushed basic services such as healthcare, markets, water, and electricity and the IDPs to return.