Fire breaks out at an IDP camp in Duhok: 10 tents burned down

Duhok, September 2020 – fire destroyed several caravans in Qadiya camp – Photo: KirkukNow

Ammar Aziz - Duhok

Fire broke at the Cham-Mishko IDP camp and.

Yesterday evening (7 September 2020) fire broke out at the Cham-Mishko camp in Duhok Province. 10 tents were burned down before fire engines could control the fire.

Ma’moun Yahya, the manager of the Cham-Mishko camp, told KirkukNow: “We don’t know what the cause of the fire was, but 10 tents were burned down unfortunately.”

After the fire was controlled, the staff at the camp have made preparations to provide replacement tents and basic necessities for the affected families.

“For those whose identity cards and documents were destroyed, we promise them to get them new ones. And we will send a report with [an estimation of] the damages to the Duhok Province Administration,” said Yahya.

There are 5000 tents at Cham-Mishko camp, hosting more than 24,000 people.

Basuk Khidir, who has been living in the camp for six years, said: “A week ago I bought a refrigerator and a freezer. Tonight, both were destroyed along with a TV set and all my official documents.”

Fires break out regularly at the IDP camps. On 6 September, three caravans were destroyed in a fire at Qadiya camp in Duhok. Last months seven caravans were destroyed in another fire as well.

In August alone, five different time fires have broken out at the camps in Duhok.

There are numerous IDP and refugee camps in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. According to KRG numbers, there are more than 787,000 IDPs and refugees in the region.

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