Iraq says 100,000 flee homes due to bloodshed
IRAQ: More than 100,000 people have fled their homes in Iraq since
late February because of the insurgency and rising sectarian bloodshed,
up from 65,000 just over two weeks ago, Iraqi officials said.
These are only the refugees who have registered with the Displacement
and Migration Ministry for financial support, food and supplies since
the bombing of a Shi'ite Muslim shrine on Feb. 22 in the city of Samarra
fanned sectarian tensions.
"After the bombing in Samarra and the eruption of widespread
violence, thousands of families left their homes to escape the constant
violence," said ministry spokesman Sattar Nawrouz.
About 15,000 families, roughly split among majority Shi'ite Muslims
and Sunni Arabs in the same proportions as the general mix of Iraq's 26
million people, had left their homes according to the ministry's latest
report.
The report shows almost 7,680 families moved to the Shi'ite provinces
in southern Iraq and about 3,200 to mainly Sunni provinces such as
western Anbar and central Salahiddin.
Not all refugees register with the ministry. Many of the better off
move in with relatives or rent homes in new areas.
"Some families, especially the wealthy ones, held back from telling
authorities they had left their homes for new ones because they don't
need any help from the government," Nawrouz said, adding the department
would appeal through the media for all families to register, whether
they needed aid or not.
In mid-April, the ministry said 65,000 people had left their homes
since the Feb. 22 shrine bombing.
Baghdad, Monday, Reuters |