Iraq — humanitarian situation

Iraq's humanitarian landscape remains shaped by protracted internal displacement and regional instability linked to the broader Middle East crisis. Following a June 2026 memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran on cessation of hostilities, a resurgence of hostilities in recent weeks is placing pressure on humanitarian access and threatening civilian and essential services IOM. The country's chronic displacement situation persists, with 997,334 internally displaced persons remaining displaced as of June 2026, of whom 97,271 individuals continue residing in 18 IDP camps located in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq IOM, UNHCR. The camp population is concentrated primarily in Dohuk Governorate and Zakho Administration, which host 18,763 IDP families totaling 89,709 individuals across 13 camps, while smaller numbers remain in Erbil Governorate and East Mosul camps. Food security conditions have deteriorated significantly due to the sustained closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has evolved from an acute shock into a sustained systemic disruption with compounding fiscal, agricultural input, and food price consequences (FAO, World Bank, WFP). Iraq's oil revenues declined from approximately pre-crisis levels, creating severe fiscal deterioration that affects the government's capacity to respond to humanitarian needs. The crisis has particularly impacted agricultural inputs and food prices during April and May 2026, corresponding to the third and fourth months of the closure. Iraq continues to host refugees and asylum seekers, though specific current figures were not provided in recent reporting UNHCR. The country has also experienced mobility dynamics related to broader regional population movements, including Syrian refugee returns to neighboring Syria, where approximately 1.67 million Syrians had returned from neighboring countries as of May 2026 UNHCR. Additionally, extreme heat poses growing health challenges, with summer temperatures in Basra regularly exceeding 120°F, creating dangerous conditions particularly for pregnant women that require healthcare provider adaptation CARE. The confluence of protracted displacement, regional instability, economic deterioration, and climate extremes continues to generate multifaceted humanitarian needs across Iraq.