To prepare for the expected displacement of people fleeing Mosul during military operations to retake the city from ISIL, IOM, at the request of the Government of Iraq and in collaboration with the Humanitarian Coordinator, has agreed to construct emergency sites in Ninewa governorate. These will eventually provide shelter for up to 200,000 civilians who may be displaced in the first weeks of the military operations.
Military operations to retake Mosul are expected to lead to mass forced displacement creating a complex humanitarian operation. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) estimates that up to one million people could be displaced, with an estimated 700,000 people needing humanitarian assistance.
Emergency sites can be established more quickly than standard camps and initially only include basic services such as shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities and roads. However, the sites are designed to enable progressive improvements in order to meet and maintain minimum living standards based on the displacement context and timelines.
Four sites have recently been identified east of the city of Mosul and continuing south along the Upper Zab River, which are intended to initially accommodate up to 75,000 people. Site assessments have been conducted, and IOM has committed to preparatory work to establish these sites contingent on mine-clearance.
IOM will continue to work closely with the humanitarian cluster partners who will provide critical components necessary to maintain minimum living standards. As funding and site identification allows, IOM will complete these activities or support partners in carrying out technical preparations for additional sites.
