Highlights
The humanitarian situation remains fragile, in particular in Anbar governorate, where weeks of airstrikes and ground fighting continue to jeopardise the safety and security of civilians.
Access routes for people and basic commodities for the civilian population remain limited.
Sufficient and safe drinking water remains a challenge amidst high temperatures; safe water is trucked on a daily basis to 24,000 displaced people in Anbar governorate.
Life-saving medicines and medical supplies have been airlifted to health facilitates in Haditha city in Anbar governorate, facilitated by the Ministry of Health.
8.6 m people in need
5.6 m targeted for assistance
3.2 m internally displaced people
2.9 m displaced people live outside camps
3.2 m affected people in host communities
0.25 m Syrian refugees
Situation Overview
The past weeks in Iraq have been characterised by political reform plans and processes. On 16 August, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi reduced the number of ministers to 22 from 33, changes aimed at improving the lives of the Iraqi people, rationalising state institutions and rooting out corruption. The eliminated positions include the three deputy prime minister positions and the minister of human rights. Some ministries are to be merged, which in turn could lead to a need to define or redefine interlocutors for humanitarian clusters at the federal level.
The humanitarian situation remains fragile, in particular in Anbar governorate where weeks of airstrikes and ground fighting continue to jeopardise the safety and security of civilians. In Falluja, reports unable to be verified directly by the UN indicate that airstrikes may have caused civilian casualties. Access routes for people to leave the areas hardest hit by conflict remain limited and supply routes for basic goods for the civilian population are also impacted. Concerns persist about displaced people being prevented from crossing checkpoints into safer territory. The approximate 700 displaced people who were stranded for nearly two weeks in Rahaliya, south of Ramadi in Anbar governorate, and unable to cross the Razaza checkpoint in Kerbala, were allowed passage on 14 August along with other displaced people. They continued onwards to Bzeibiz bridge and the Ameriyat al Falluja area. The number of people reaching the Bzeibiz bridge linking Anbar and Baghdad governorates continues to fluctuate while access across the bridge remains limited.