What is the situation in Iraq following the liberation of Mosul from Islamic State, and above all how are the people coping — and what about the children who fled the war. An editorial by the Terre des Hommes delegate in Iraq.
"Mosul liberated". The declaration on the liberation of Mosul made by the Iraqi government has, in reality, only political value, since the city of Mosul had already been almost entirely liberated from occupation by Islamic State (Isis). The fact remains, however, that other parts of the country — such as Talafar, Anbar and Hawja, where thousands of people live — are still under the control of the militias. Many more months of fighting will be needed before Iraq can truly claim to have defeated and eradicated Islamic State from its territory.
It is difficult to paint a picture that applies to the Iraqi population as a whole, because there are many differences between the various groups depending on when they left their homes, the areas where they were taken in, and their economic circumstances. Over these years we have seen the predominantly Kurdish region sink into an economic crisis that has pushed many families into poverty and caused moments of social tension between the host community and the displaced people on the territory — accused, among other things, of receiving more humanitarian aid, of "stealing" jobs, and of placing a burden on the region's scarce resources.
We have seen Syrian refugees and Iraqi displaced persons who arrived between 2014 and 2015 — some of whom have integrated into the social fabric of the Kurdish region and some of whom are still confined to camps or suburbs — with ever-dwindling support from the international community and with situations of social hardship that are deteriorating rapidly, with no prospect of a solution in sight. We have seen waves of people fleeing Mosul in desperate conditions being taken in at large camps in the middle of the desert, with basic services but few employment opportunities and severe restrictions on freedom of movement. We have seen families returning to Mosul and the liberated territories to reclaim their homes and restart their lives where they left off, with many hopes but also risks and hardships. It is a shifting, fragmented and complex reality that leaves many questions unanswered.
The children who fled Mosul with their families arrived at the camps in near-desperate conditions. Psychologically, they carry the weight of two years spent under Isis control, virtually imprisoned in their own homes, unable to go to school, forced to witness episodes of unspeakable violence. Physically, the children have often suffered from malnutrition, some are wounded, and they have nothing more than the clothes on their backs. On top of this, they have lived through war, bombardments, flight on foot — sometimes at night and under crossfire — just to reach the refugee camps. The situation there varies: some camps are better equipped, while others have harsh living conditions. Those living outside the camps, still trapped among the rubble of Mosul or crammed into overcrowded houses as guests of friends and relatives, are undoubtedly in an even more difficult position, as they are excluded from international aid.
When children arrive at our centres they are often frightened, they do not trust any adult, they behave aggressively towards their peers, and they are even scared of the music used in play and educational activities. Over time, these defensive reactions generally subside and you can see how the children gradually manage to be children again — starting to smile, play and learn once more.
Terre des Hommes has been present in Iraq for many years and mobilised immediately in 2014 to assist Syrian and Iraqi children who were victims of the conflict. Since then we have helped more than 100,000 people — the majority of them children — through the distribution of humanitarian aid, but above all through the creation of safe spaces, which we call Case del sole, at the main refugee camps around Mosul and in the Erbil area. At these centres we carry out educational and psychosocial activities for children who have been unable to attend school for a long time, identifying cases that require a more specific service (psychological, healthcare or social support).
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For adolescents, we are running vocational training courses so that they can have a concrete employment prospect and do not fall into the clutches of criminal networks or exploiters who use them for unskilled labour. There are many initiatives promoting their social participation and integration with the host community, all aimed at preventing the build-up of tensions between the various ethnic groups affected by the conflict.