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With support from the Government of Japan, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) is joining forces with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to launch an innovative debris-recycling project that will help displaced persons in Kirkuk Governorate, northern Iraq, return to their homes.

With almost 10,000 destroyed houses in Kirkuk Governorate, our priority is to enable [displaced persons] to return and rebuild their demolished homes, said Ali Humadi, Kirkuks Assistant Governor for Technical Affairs.

The plight of the approximately 1.4 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Iraq has taken on a new urgency, as they are widely recognized to be some of the most vulnerable communities to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The impact of the epidemic is exacerbated by the conditions in which the displaced live, said Dr. Jassim Hamadi, Deputy Health and Environment Minister. Their cramped living circumstances, both in formal camps and densely populated informal settlements, and difficulty in accessing basic services especially healthcare makes them extremely vulnerable to the spread of the virus.

Emphasizing that the presence of huge volumes of debris on peoples properties is the main obstacle preventing the return of at least 80 per cent of cases, Ali Humadi welcomed sustainable solutions to the debris problem and the redoubling of efforts to facilitate returns given the ongoing public health emergency.

Kirkuk authorities estimate that from 2014 to 2017, around 8-9 million tonnes of debris were created during the conflict with so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Around two-thirds of this debris consists of concrete, blocks and stones that can be recycled, while the rest is mudbricks. A major challenge in handling this debris stems from the potential presence of unexploded ordnance.

Meanwhile, life is slowly picking-up in some of Kirkuks 135 destroyed villages. Its a citizen-led effort, said Ibrahim Khalaf, a prominent community member from Buwaiter, a village that was razed to the ground in June 2015.

Buwaiter is one of many villages along the front lines separating militants from the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in southern Kirkuk from Kurdish Peshmerga forces in the north. This large belt of land, that stretches over 65 kilometres and divides Kirkuk Governorate in half, was until recently a no mans land emptied of its inhabitants as entire villages were levelled flat.

People are trying to do what they can to rebuild their homes with their meager resources, Khalaf said. He further asserted that that just removing the debris from one house can cost around 2.5 million Iraqi dinars (USD 2,000). This amount is well beyond the means of many families affected by the conflict, and around half of Buwaiters nearly 1,000 inhabitants are unable to return as a result.

IOM Iraq estimates that there are still around 60,000 IDPs in Kirkuk.

The most important thing now is to clear all this debris, and if possible, help people reconstruct their homes, Khalaf noted.

We are at a loss for what to do with all this debris, said Hassan Nassif, the head of Multaqa sub-district whose 35 villages, including Buwaiter, were wiped out during the conflict. He went on to decry the chaotic dumping of debris in seasonal wadis and despoiling of agricultural land, which will surely create problems for the future.

By practically demonstrating the potential for debris recycling through this pilot project, UNEP aims to apply a circular vision to the debris problem, transforming it into part of the solution in partnership with IOM. This includes not only facilitating safe returns, but also generating livelihood opportunities through Cash for Work activities, carrying out more cost-effective reconstruction by reusing crushed rubble, and better environmental management.

The project is being implemented in close collaboration with the Kirkuk authorities and the Ministry of Health and Environment, and benefits from valuable facilitation support from the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

Crushing the rubble is a pragmatic and straightforward answer, offering a ray of hope in dealing with our massive challenges, including creating jobs for displaced youth, Nassif added. We stand ready to support this initiative and look forward to expanding this recycling approach in Multaqa and Kirkuk.

H.E. Hashimoto Naofumi, Ambassador of Japan to Iraq, said: , Japan has recently decided to provide a new assistance package for Iraq amounting to USD 41 million including this project as assistance for debris recycling in Kirkuk Governorate.

With this package, the total amount of Japans assistance to the people affected by the crisis reaches USD 540 million since 2014.

He went on to say, Japan is pleased to invest in addressing this overlooked debris problem and support a sustainable return process that integrates the humanitarian, reconstruction and environmental angles of the question.

As part of this one-year project, which starts this month, UNEP also plans to work closely with Kirkuk Governorates recently created Debris Working Group and the Environment Ministry to strengthen their capacity to develop and apply optimal debris management plans.

For more information, please contact:

Hassan Partow, UNEP Programme Manager, hassan.partow@un.org

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Debris-recycling initiative seeks to bolster return of displaced in Iraq, amidst growing risks of COVID-19 outbreak [EN/AR] - Iraq - ReliefWeb

Iraq is now on its third attempt to choose a prime minister. Parliament has requested the government to expel American troops. The Trump administrations economic war against Iran has strengthened hardline factions, which remain determined on revenge for the January assassination of Qasem Soleimani.

U.S. officials admit that deterrence against Iran and Iraqi militias has failed. After the third rocket attack by the latter on American bases, despite earlier retaliation by Washington, the Pentagon withdrew from six bases rather than respond again. However, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo proposed a military campaign within Iraq against Iranian-backed Iraqi forces.

Washington could find itself at war with both Iran and Iraq. It is time to bring home Americas forces.

US policy toward Iraq is cursed. In the 1980s the Reagan administration supported Saddam Husseins aggressive war against Iran lest the Islamic Republic triumph and gain regional hegemony. Convinced of US support, an emboldened Hussein next occupied Kuwait.

That led to the first Gulf War, after which Washington left troops in Saudi Arabia, which became one of Osama bin Ladens chief grievances. The Bush I and Clinton administrations both imposed no-fly zones and sanctioned and bombed Iraq for various offenses, without changing its behavior.

President George W. Bushs administration used the 9/11 terrorist attacks as a pretext for invading Iraq, which became one of Americas worst foreign policy disasters. The result: thousands of American dead, tens of thousands of wounded, hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqis in the ensuing sectarian war, and millions of Iraqis driven from their homes. The Christian community was destroyed, with religious minorities driven to Kurdistan and abroad.

Irans influence was greatly enhanced by creation of a Shia-dominated government in Iraq. Al-Qaeda in Iraq morphed into the Islamic State, which made a dramatic return in 2014, taking over much of the country. At which point the Obama administration sent US forces back to Iraq. American troops were forced to cooperate with Iranian personnel and Iraqi militias backed by Tehran to defeat ISIS in December 2017.

Why are US forces still occupying Iraqi territory?

It isnt to stop the Islamic State. The philosophy/theology remains attractive to some and like-minded fighters could reappear to do damage. However, Washington broke the movement at the height of its power; a permanent occupation is not necessary. An ISIS revival is opposed by Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Iran, the Gulf States, and Israel, with support likely from Russia and possibly from European states. All these governments have far more at stake in preventing a radical recrudescence.

The Trump administrations real target is Iran, upon which the president is fixated. However, Tehran poses no threat to America. Of course, Saudi Arabia would be happy to fight to the last American, but the last place Washington should be is in the middle of a Sunni-Shia conflict. The Islamic State also is opposed by most countries in the region, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the leading Gulf States, and Israel. They are capable of deterring Iran.

Moreover, Iraq is no ally against Tehran. Baghdads relationship with Iran remains close: the two most important majority Shia states have strong personal, cultural, commercial, and religious ties. Iranian forces, led by Soleimani, played an important role in helping Baghdad defeat the Islamic State.

The Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah has a strong incentive to attack the US, which killed its founder, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, in the drone strike on Soleimani. Other groups would be happy to assist KH. Explained the Washington Post: "Iran-backed militias are becoming more audacious in attacking US personnel in Iraq, with rocket strikes against military bases occurring more frequently and, for the first time, in broad daylight. US officials say they are receiving near-daily reports of imminent attacks planned against U.S.-linked military or diplomatic facilities."

After rockets hit Camp Taji last month the administration assumed KHs culpability and retaliated, killing Iraqi policemen and soldiers who shared a base with the militia. Then came another two rounds of rocket attacks. Washingtons response: pull out of six facilities retreat and appeasement in the usual lexicon of hawks and demand that Baghdad do something.

Which is a forlorn hope.

Attacking Americans is easy sport and attracts both Sunnis and Shiites. Blame can be assumed but rarely proved. A new group, which may or may not be a front for KH, claimed responsibility for the latest attacks. Iran has influence, not control. David Schenker, Assistant Secretary of Near Eastern Affairs, said these groups continue to pose a "significant" threat to US personnel. So much for the promised restoration of deterrence.

Expecting Baghdad to choose between America and Iran wont yield the answer Washington wants. No doubt, most Iraqis do not want their country to be a battleground or anyones puppet. Some, perhaps many, officials privately want to keep the US in Iraq lots of countries prefer to turn their defense over to America.

However, contacts between Iranians and Iraqis are strong, broad, and pervasive. Moreover, Tehrans embrace is tight and can be deadly. An anonymous Iraqi military official told the Washington Post: "No judge will issue an arrest warrant against a senior militia member if he wants to stay alive." He added: "We cant stop them" from attacking US troops.

The "strategic dialogue" demanded by Washington, expected to start in June, wont change the political dynamic on the ground. A hostile caretaker premier remains in office. The latest nominee for prime minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, has the reputation of maneuvering carefully between Washington and Tehran. He reportedly received support from Shia factions after he agreed not to restrict the militias. Moreover, his first task, if confirmed by parliament, will be to organize elections. He is unlikely to welcome Americas continued presence or confront the anti-American militias.

But will the administration accept anything other than an unambiguous yes? After having denounced "endless wars," President Trump threatened to sanction Baghdad if the government enforced parliaments resolution, which would destroy the bilateral relationship. Worse would be attacking more Iraqis in Iraq without the Iraqi governments approval. Violent resistance almost certainly would multiply. Striking Iran would greatly expand the conflict. Despite Americas undoubted military power, Tehran has demonstrated that it could utilize friendly forces and asymmetric tactics remember the drone strikes on the Saudi oil facilities to harm American forces and allies throughout the Middle East. Setting the region on fire would be madness.

Washington should not stay in Iraq. The Middle East has been unstable for years while its importance to America has greatly diminished. It is time to leave Iraq and its neighbors to find a way to live together in the future without a US military presence.

Doug Bandow is a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute. A former Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan, he is author of Foreign Follies: Americas New Global Empire.

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Withdraw from Iraq and Stop at Least One Endless War - Antiwar.com

The alleged abuse and burning of an Iraqi woman at the hands of her husband and his family has caused uproar on social media.

Videos of 20-year-old Malak Haider Al-Zubaidi bedbound, covered in bandages, her face swollen from burns, crying out in pain circulated online.

Al-Zubaidi was allegedly abused and later set on fire by her husband, Mohammed Al-Mayahli, a police officer in the Iraqicity of Najaf.

After the incident, however, Al-Mayahli wrote on Facebook that Al-Zubaidi has a mental illness and set herself on fire.

She burned herself with petrol and accused me and my family there are sponsored accounts that are posting these lies just to slander my family, Al-Mayahli wrote on Facebook.

READ:Iraq: PM-designate resigns, intelligence chief named new candidate

Videos of Al-Zubaidi on social media show her on a hospital bed screaming in visible pain, they never loved me and treated me like a slave, in apparent reference to her husbands family.

While, Al-Zubaidis family allege Al-Mayahli had forbidden her from visiting her parents for eight months.

On Sunday, Najafs Governor, Louay Al-Yasiri, ordered an investigation into the incident.

The governors media office said Al-Yasiri had called for a specialised investigation team regarding the burning of a Najaf woman.

Activists have reacted angrily to the incident, calling for justice for Malak, and new laws to protect women from domestic violence.

One user wrote on Twitter: I saw a video of her in the hospital and I cant get her screams out of my head. Justice for Malak.

Another posted a drawing and wrote: It is a crime against humanity. Where is the role of the authorities? A law should be enacted to criminalize such behaviour.

READ:Rockets land near oil district in southern Iraq, no casualties

Iraq does not have laws specifically to protect women fromdomestic abuse. Instead, the countrys constitution prohibits all forms of violence and abuse in the family but allows husbands to discipline their wives.

While campaigners have pressured the government topass lawsto prevent violence against women, the groups have had little success as conservative parties still dominate Baghdad.

The most recent data from 2012 provides an incomplete picture of the scale of domestic abuse, but analysts estimated one in five women arevictims.

Iraqi lawyer, Mohammed Jumaa, said on Twitter, he had seen hundreds of similar cases, where the lives of abused women, such as Al-Zubaidi, were lost and those responsible were not brought to justice.

Adding, if it wasnt for social media in these cases, then the governor would not have said anything in our country, you have no rights if social media did not sympathise with you.

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Iraq: Uproar over woman's alleged torture by her husband - Middle East Monitor

US-backed forces capture ISIS fighters in Syria and Iraq

U.S.-backed forces in Syria arrested members of four Islamic State cells in recent raids, while an Iraqi operation Monday destroyed an ISIS hideout and killed nearly two dozen militants, officials said.

In two operations supported by coalition aircraft over 72 hours, Syrian Democratic Forces apprehended four elements of the active cells in Deir al-Zour province, a hotbed of ISIS activity in the countrys northeast, the Kurdish-led group said on Twitter.

The raids were part of an ongoing effort to combat and tighten the noose on ISIS activities, it said.

The operations were a sign of the competence and commitment of the anti-terror commandos, said Col. Myles B. Caggins III, spokesman for the U.S.-led Operation Inherent Resolve.

The Coalition continues to support the SDF for anti-ISIS operations by sharing intelligence and providing eyes-in-the-sky, while we all face the challenge of preventing the spread of COVID-19, he said in a text message late Monday.

Though its been more than a year since ISIS was ousted from its last territorial stronghold, the group continues to wage an insurgency in both countries, carrying out assassinations, kidnappings and bombings.

In Iraq, security forces fought an ISIS sleeper cell for hours in Kirkuk province, the latest in a series of recent clashes.

Coalition aircraft conducted strikes, helping destroy a terrorist den in the rugged al-Shai Valley and kill 23 militants, Iraqs security media cell said on Facebook. One security forces member was killed and at least four others wounded, it said.

The coalition has continued to support anti-ISIS operations with combat support and intelligence assistance, despite withdrawing hundreds of trainers after the coronavirus outbreak there led the government to pause military training.

Inherent Resolve has also been consolidating its troops on larger bases and building up defenses against the growing threat of attack from Iran or its Shiite militia proxies. Officials have seen a spike in disinformation and threatening messages online, Caggins said last week.

Meanwhile, concerns over the spreading coronavirus pandemic may have distracted forces on both sides of the Syrian battlefield, said Robin Fleming, a researcher with the Rojava Information Center, in a report last week that found anti-ISIS operations had declined sharply in March, with just three confirmed arrests for the whole month, compared to 96 in February.

ISIS attacks also fell, the independent activist group in northeastern Syria reported. Deaths from assassinations were down about two-thirds, but the group was still distributing fliers throughout Deir al-Zour province earlier this month, threatening anyone working with the civil authorities or SDF in northeastern Syria, Fleming said.

The coalition provided hospitals and SDF-run prisons with about $1.2 million in medical equipment and riot gear late last month, citing the need to bolster both the COVID-19 response and the detention of alleged ISIS members, who it said would likely try to exploit any weakness and resurge.

Days after the supply delivery, coalition aircraft aided the SDF in suppressing a riot where alleged ISIS fighters had attempted a prison break.

garland.chad@stripes.comTwitter: @chadgarland

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US-backed forces capture ISIS fighters in Syria and Iraq - Stars and Stripes

CAIRO 17 April 2020: A 107-year old coronavirus female patient in Iraq recovered and is in a good health, said the health directorate in Dhi Qar governorate in southern Iraq, while older people are at a high risk from the novel virus.

In a brief statement, the directorate said the woman tested negative for coronavirus.

It is not the first case in this age to recover from coronavirus. Two women in each of Turkey and Netherlands who were also 107 years old recovered.

Iraq has so far 1,434 coronavirus cases and 80 deaths, according to Worldometers, while 856 people recovered from the disease. Globally, over 2.2 million people were infected and more than 147,000 people died.

Iraq has evacuated hundreds of citizens stranded in other countries including in Egypt. The Iraqi Foreign Ministry on Monday said two exceptional flights took off from the Egyptian capital Cairo to the Iraqi capital Baghdad, evacuating 324 Iraqi nationals over coronavirus.

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107-year old Iraq woman recovers from coronavirus: directorate - Egypttoday