Displaced families of Qaraqosh find refuge in regional churches
Four months ago, Basma, 26, was working as a lawyer in a government directorate in Mosul. She and her husband had bought property and were building a new house. But in August, they were forced to flee their hometown of Qaraqosh in Iraq’s Nineva province. With the spread of violent conflict, the town of 50,000 saw an exodus of families forced to leave their ancestral home and seek refuge in the Kurdish-controlled region of northern Iraq.
Today, Basma, her husband, Neshwan, and their son, Adelard, 2, are among 243 families from Qaraqosh staying in the reception and funeral halls of two small Chaldean churches in a town in northern Iraq. They have been here for 40 days.
“We are tired, tired. All of us, very tired,” says the young professional, sweeping her hair from her face with one arm, while using the other to balance her young son on her lap.
Pillows, blankets, and thin mattresses are stacked along walls, on couches, coffee tables, and other furniture, dividing the church hall into makeshift living spaces, shared by scores of families like Basma’s.
During the day, many of the men look for work as day labourers in agriculture while the women busy themselves cleaning their living spaces or washing clothing. Their children play together in the church yard.
Fr. Zaya is a priest in the Chaldean church where Basma is staying. He helped arrange assistance for the hundreds of families who sought refuge here, following attacks on their town by extremists.
“We did what we could as people began arriving... We opened the door for them, provided food and beds for as long as we could. We had the ability to do something,” says Fr. Zaya.
The Chaldean church here hosted other minority groups, too. Many Yazidi families found refuge in the early weeks following their escape from villages that were under attack. They have since found relatives with whom they are staying.
With growing numbers of displaced seeking his help, the priest contacted the bishop in Erbil, who mobilized more aid, sending additional supplies. People were arriving with very little.
“We came with only our clothes,” Basma says, gesturing to her shirt. “We had no time to pack. We left everything.”
“We came with only our clothes,” Basma says, gesturing to her shirt. “We had no time to pack. We left everything.”
Qaraqosh’s residents first fled their homes in June, following the fall of Mosul (30 kilometres north of Qaraqosh). Basma’s family escaped to a nearby town where they stayed in a school for five days with 30 other families.
“We were in such trouble,” she remembers. “The weather was too hot, we had no electricity, no water. We used a toilet for our shower.” The family returned to Qaraqosh when they were informed that it was safe. But security lines faltered and the fighting pushed closer to Qaraqosh, again.
A mother and her two children were killed inthe bombing that followed. “There was nothing left of her, only pieces.” Families knew they must escape.
“I never, never imagined this would happen. I wanted a good future for my son. We dreamt of building our own house.... Now, I want to leave Iraq. It is for the sake of my children that we must now leave."
“I never, never imagined this would happen. I wanted a good future for my son. We dreamt of building our own house. We had bought land and started building – but we couldn’t finish it. Now, I want to leave Iraq. It is for the sake of my children that we must now leave.”
World Vision is on the ground in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, completing assessments and preparing to provide cash assistance, food vouchers, improved water and sanitation facilities, hygiene kits, blankets, mattresses, baby kits, and basic health services. Our initial planning will target some 150,000 internally displaced persons and vulnerable members of the host community.