Thursday July 27, 2017

Huge aid effort underway to support returnees in Mosul

Islamic Relief focusing on clearing debris, food distribution, water supplies and schools

Islamic Relief is on the ground delivering aid to support some of the 827,000 people driven from their homes since operations to retake Mosul began last year, as well as the thousands who have started to return since the city fell to Iraqi forces in mid-July.

With the level of destruction in the city far worse than expected and armed opposition groups still controlling some of the surrounding areas, the safe and dignified return of displaced people is an enormous challenge.

“The level of destruction in the city is incredible,” says Islamic Relief’s CEO, Naser Haghamed. “Some families have lost loved ones and many have lost everything they owned, so the task facing these communities and those assisting them from Islamic Relief and other aid agencies is enormous. We have assisted hundreds of thousands of since the battle for Mosul began last year, but many more need our help.”

Islamic Relief has provided food and essential household items to over 280,000 people displaced from Mosul since efforts to retake the city began, and we have been constantly monitoring the situation, responding to where the needs are the greatest.

We recently provided 1,000 large tents to accommodate 1,000 displaced families from Mosul in the Basateen Alsheyukh area, and during Ramadan we distributed a month’s food supply to 13,932 people in the Mosul area.

According to the Ministry of Migration and Displacement, about 2,000 returnees are arriving in Mosul every day, mainly in the south and east of the city. Our aid efforts are focusing on clearing debris and rubbish from the streets of Mosul; rehabilitating schools, health centres, water sources and sewage systems; and providing food, safe drinking water and essential household items.

Our teams on the ground are preparing to deliver food parcels for 6,000 families and essential household items for 309 families.

We are planning to rehabilitate four schools, and we will also be training 28 teachers and providing school kits for 500 students.

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