Although major military operations concluded in late 2017, the humanitarian crisis in Iraq is far from over. The toll of four years of intensive combat on Iraq’s civilian population has been enormous. Of the almost 6 million people displaced since the rise of ISIL in 2014, some 2.6 million remain displaced at the beginning of 2018.
Humanitarian operations in Iraq are now entering a new phase, however. As many as two million displaced Iraqis may return to their homes during 2018. Although major efforts are being made by the Government of Iraq and Kurdistan Regional Government to incentivize and facilitate returns, many vulnerable families are unable to return without assistance, and ethnic tension and significant explosive hazard contamination is preventing returns in some locations. The humanitarian community continues to advocate against forced, premature, or obstructed returns.