PM Barzani orders third phase of refugee return to Hassan Sham village
The Ministry announced that 266 families, including 107 residing in refugee camps within the Kurdistan Region and 159 living outside the camps, will voluntarily return to their homes in Hassan Sham.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani has initiated the third phase of returning refugees from Hassan Sham village in Nineveh province, according to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Interior Ministry.
The Ministry announced that 266 families, including 107 residing in refugee camps within the Kurdistan Region and 159 living outside the camps, will voluntarily return to their homes in Hassan Sham. These families originally fled to the Kurdistan Region following ISIS attacks, living in refugee camps and within the host community for several years.
The statement highlighted the challenges faced by these families, including the destruction of economic infrastructure and basic services in their villages under ISIS control. The Ministry emphasized that returning home required Iraqi government support and the families' determination. In the previous phase, the KRG facilitated the voluntary return of 271 displaced families.
The Ministry of Interior has urged federal institutions to take concrete steps in restoring basic services to ensure returning families can live with dignity and avoid future displacement. The Ministry reaffirmed the Kurdistan Region's commitment to supporting the voluntary return of all refugees to their homeland.