Khalo Qasim, resident of Bersivi camp for Ezidi IDPs in Zakho, is angry and concerned about safety of his family in fear of fire accidents popular in the tents of the camp particularly during summer blazing days with the absence of a fire fighter team.
He passed through a bitter experience last February when fire broke out in his tent left three of his kids with 30% burns. He lost his entire household which turned into ashes.
"It was very hard to see my kids burning. Up today, I have to nurse them twice, every time I pay 50,000 for medicine," he said.
Qassim left his house in Shingal seven years ago when extremist militants of the Islamic State ISIS stormed the region. Father of three, he is a Peshmerga of Shingal forces and works as construction laborer during the leaves.
"I have managed to save my IDs, otherwise those of my family members and everything were burnt. TV, Refrigerator, washing machine and even a sum of money kept at home."
"I have managed to save my IDs, otherwise those of my family members and everything were burnt. TV, Refrigerator, washing machine and even a sum of money kept at home."
A new summer is at the threshold of the camp yet investigation over the fire in Qassim's tent has not come to end.
"Due to absence of fire brigade at the camp, the residents rescue each other during fire incidents. They fetch water in jerry canes and buckles and control the fire," Qassim added.
Duhok, May 10th, 2021- A store in Sharia camp turned into ashes. Photo sent by residents to kirkukNow.
It takes a fire brigade from Zakho to Bersivi IDP camp up to 25 minutes, so in cases of fire the incident is over once the brigade makes it there.
In the last five months, 20 incidents of fire reported in Bersivi IDP camp, unofficial records show.
Kurdistan regional government KRG's joint center for crisis management figures state there 26 camps for IDPs in Kurdistan, 16 of them in Duhok.
Ezidis are adherents of one of the ancient Middle Eastern religions yet accused by Extremist Islamists as devil worshippers. Over half a million of Eizids were living in Shingal, centre of the Eizidi region, in Mosul ahead of IS reign in August 2014.
To flee execution and slavery, over 350,000 Ezidis walked to Shingal Mount and the Northern Kurdish region. 100,000 fled the country forever heading to Europe, US and Canada.
Shingal district west of Nineveh on the border with Syria, home to tens of thousands of Ezidis, was retaken by Iraqi forces in October 2015 yet up today most of its inhabitants live under tents in the camps Bersivi, Kabartw, Isyan and others in Duhok, Erbil and Sulaimaniyah.
Over 3,000 Ezidi women, girls and children were freed while nearly 3,000 kidnapped women and girls are still missing after many were trafficked and enslaved in other parts of former IS territory.
Bewar Abdulaziz, media manger of Duhok civil defense, said they have been approached by camp administrators and IDPs but their capacity is limited.
"We can't provide all these fire fighting vehicles and bases because we can't cover many districts downtown of Duhok," he said.
All over Duhok, including seven districts, there are 41 fire fighting stations, each has 2-3 vehicles, he added. "We have covered some camps yet we need more vehicles and fire fighters."
Since the military defeat of IS, discord over security arrangements, public services, and the lack of a unified administration, have plagued victims and survivors.
Over 666,000 IDP are based in Kurdistan region. The majority Sunni Arabs fled Mosul and Salahaddin following the dominance of Shiite militias, then Ezidis, Christians and Arabs from other Iraqi provinces, KRG statistics of 2021 show.
The vulnerable ethno-religious minority leading a hard life under tents insist to have fire brigades in order to avoid evitable incidents.
"If fire brigade is based in a camp, incidents come to half,"
"If fire brigade is based in a camp, incidents come to half," said Khero Sa'do, Ezidi IDP in Isyan camp of Shekhan. Khero faced two fire incidents causing him big losses. "Opening a fire brigade in our camp has turned into a dream that won't come true until we go back home."
Residents rush to control a fire in an IDP camp of Duhok in 2020.
In some fire accidents, leaves casualties. In med February, a fire in a tent left a man and three of his kids dead.
Abdulaziz confirmed that IDPs cooperate to control fire when breaks out due to our absence and limited vehicle and manpower. "Instead, we lead awareness campaigns and courses in the camps how to tackle and control fire," he added.
IDPs cooperate to control fire when breaks out due to our absence
Abdulaziz blames fire in the camps for the way tents are arranged being so close to each other an electric sparks.
The reparation for burnt families is a new tent and some household.
The Crisis coordination center speaker confirmed that fire incidents are frequent in camps which he considered normal yet they can't fire fighters for all camps.
"It is difficult for us to have fire brigade in each camp," said Karwan Zakai, media manager of KRG's joint operation center for crisis coordination. "It is normal to have such cases and it happens everywhere."
Up today, only camps in Mosul and Kurdistan region are open as the Iraqi authorities have shut most of the camps. Between 2014 to 2017, about 6 million Iraqis were displaced and still one million live under tents in camps.
"Once summer comes, I dare not to sleep because I am afraid of any incident that harms my kids," Sa'do.
