Displaced Iraqis still wait to return home
Amid accusations of affiliation with the Islamic State and an uncompleted demining process in the liberated areas, most of Iraq's displaced have yet to return to their cities.
SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq — Some Iraqis displaced from Tikrit returned June 15 in a positive sign for the struggle against the Islamic State (IS). A true victory will see not only the land freed, but also its residents returned and restored to normal life.
However, the return of these people is still in its initial stages and other areas' residents are awaiting action by the government and the security forces. These areas include Jurf al-Sakhar to the south of Baghdad — renamed Jurf al-Nasr after being freed from IS in October 2014 — and the towns of Jalula and Saadiya, as well as a number of regions such as Salahuddin and Albu-Ajeel.
The Popular Mobilization Units and government officials give similar reasons for the delayed return of the displaced to the liberated areas. These include the time needed to demine the areas, dismantle booby-traps in houses, restore services and address the effects of war, in addition to the tribal feuds and security considerations that prevent the return of some families suspected of association with IS. All of these reasons are valid in areas that are ethnically and religiously mixed like Jalula and Saadiya, or where there are tribal rivalries such as parts of Salahuddin.
Sheikh Abdul Hamid al-Jabouri, one of the elders of al-Alam, a district liberated from IS in March, told Al-Monitor that it is impossible for some families with members affiliated with IS to return to al-Alam.
