Makhmour (Mexmûr) camp, a UN-recognised refugee camp located near Iraq’s Mosul, is enduring a blockade imposed by the Iraqi army, now in its 12th day.
The siege, which began on 20 May, has sparked concerns among camp residents, who are resisting the efforts of the army to surround the camp with wire fences.
The camp, housing approximately 12,000 Kurdish refugees, has been the target of a number of Turkish airstrikes in recent years. However, neither the Iraqi government, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) nor the UN have condemned these attacks, causing consternation among the camp residents.
Jameel Abdulkarim Omar, spokesman for the camp’s Foreign Relations Committee, recently shed some light on the situation in Makhmour. He explained that the Iraqi government has been attempting to control the camp under the pretext of its alleged links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). However, the residents argue that this is merely an excuse used by the Turkish government to justify their various actions against the camp.
Omar further revealed that the Iraqi forces’ efforts to besiege the camp are a result of an agreement between Turkey and the Iraqi government. Turkey had demanded the Iraqi government control the camp, threatening to further restrict the water flow of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, Iraq’s main water supply. The Iraqi army has brought heavy weapons, armoured and military vehicles to the camp, suggesting a disproportionate response given that the camp is inhabited solely by refugees.
Recently, the UN visited the camp to negotiate the situation. However, Omar criticised the outcome of the meeting, stating that it felt as though the UN representatives acted more as representatives of Iraq and the KRG than as advocates for the refugees. He expressed disappointment that the Turkish airstrikes and other threats facing the camp have not been adequately addressed or condemned by the international community.
Omar and the Committee view the current threats and blockade against Makhmour camp as the gravest danger faced by the residents since the ISIS attack. The camp is suffering from shortages of electricity and water, and the last visit from a UN representative before the recent one occurred nearly a decade ago.
