The Iraqi Refugee Crisis: The Need for Action

The situation in Iraq remains extremely precarious for civilians, with additional thousands being displaced by violence and persecution even as refuge becomes harder to find – either internally or in neighboring countries.

The relatively few refugees who have returned from Syria to Iraq cite legal and financial difficulties as their motive for return far more frequently than they cite improved security within Iraq. More than 2 million refugees remain in Syria, Jordan, and other neighboring states, straining local resources and unprepared, underresourced governments. Nearly an equal number are internally displaced.

As border restrictions both within and outside Iraq tighten, resources dwindle, and sectarian violence persists, the options for Iraq’s estimated 4.5 million internally and externally displaced appear bleak. This report looks at the refugee situation in the country and the challenges that remain.