In the early hours of Friday, a devastating fire tore through Dawdia camp in Duhok province, which was housing internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Shingal (Sinjar). Fortunately, there were no reported casualties, but at least 17 caravans were reduced to ashes, leaving numerous families without shelter and their belongings destroyed.

Pir Dayan, the head of the Joint Crisis Coordination Center’s (JCC) Duhok branch, confirmed the incident and expressed concern for the affected families. The JCC teams are working diligently to provide immediate assistance to those impacted, aiming to supply them with tents and other necessary items as swiftly as possible. While relief efforts are underway, the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Dawdia camp, known to host 486 families, comprising a total of 2,440 individuals, has a significant number of children, with over 1,000 being under the age of 18, according to data from the UN's refugee agency (UNHCR) as of November 2022.

Fires have become a recurring issue in displacement camps across the Kurdistan Region, posing additional challenges for the already vulnerable IDP population. Despite the defeat of the Islamic State (ISIS) in the region, many Yazidis continue to reside in IDP camps as their original homes require extensive reconstruction. The presence of multiple armed forces in the Yazidi heartland of Shingal is believed to be a key obstacle preventing people from returning to the district.

Local authorities, humanitarian organizations, and the international community are closely monitoring the situation and offering support to those affected by the recent fire. Efforts are being made to address the urgent needs of the displaced families and to ascertain the cause of the unfortunate incident.

As the region grapples with the aftermath of the fire, attention is drawn once again to the plight of IDPs and the ongoing challenges they face in their quest to rebuild their lives and return to their native lands safely.