Iraq has a long history of internal displacement, rooted in sectarian and ethnic tensions and fed by decades of authoritarian rule, armed conflict, and, more recently, the war against ISIL. The latest wave of displacement began in late 2012, when ISIL began to take over large swaths of territory, triggering mass displacement during the following years.

Since the official end of the war against the group in December 2017, new displacement has receded, and people have started returning home. Returns have outnumbered new displacements each year since, reflecting government encouragement and people’s resilience. A total of 1,224,000 people remained internally displaced in Iraq as the end of 2020, a 21 per cent decrease compared with 2019.

The country is highly prone to floods, landslides and droughts and is also vulnerable to earthquakes and desertification. In 2020, 1,200 new displacements were triggered by floods, which affected Najaf governorate in January and Ninewa governorate in March. This figure is likely to be an underestimate, as there is no systematic reporting of disaster displacement in the country.

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