Today's Edition
HUDA JASIM (BAGHDAD)
The United Nations mission dedicated to aiding Iraq in probing allegations of genocide and war crimes committed by the terrorist organisation Da’esh has had to prematurely conclude its efforts due to growing tensions with the Iraqi government.
Established in 2017, this cancellation is happening almost a decade after the incursion of Da’esh into Syria and Iraq, leaving many victims still displaced in camps, awaiting justice.
Christian Ritscher, the leader of the UN Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh (UNITAD) said in an interview that the team’s mission has not been completed. He further emphasised the need for more time, noting that setting a definitive deadline in September 2024 will not be enough time to conclude the investigations and additional projects.
Ritscher provided insights on the decision to terminate the mission’s activities, marking the first instance since the UN Security Council’s mandate year-long extension in September, upon Iraq’s request.
Supporters and international contributors to UNITAD anticipated that the investigative team would extend the operation for several more years.
Farhad Aladdin, the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Advisor for Foreign Affairs, said that Baghdad no longer sees the need for the investigation team, critiquing its lack of effective cooperation with Iraqi authorities.
He stated: “From our perspective, the mission’s objectives have been fulfilled, we acknowledge its achievements, and now it’s time to progress.”
He highlighted the team’s failure to “comply with repeated demands for evidence sharing”, urging the need to do so before the mission’s conclusion.
In another development, Minister of Migration and Displaced, Ivan Faiek Jabru, announced Wednesday, July 30, as the date for the complete closure of displacement camps.
She said: “We are determined to finalise the displacement dossier,” signalling the government’s resolve to conclude this issue within the stipulated timeframe.
She mentioned government initiatives to motivate displaced individuals’ return to their homes, including a substantial increase in the repatriation grant.
Furthermore, she announced the ministry’s withdrawal of support from the camps post-July 30, with directed efforts from the Prime Minister to ensure service provision in Sinjar. Latest figures from the Ministry of Migration reveal a significant reduction in the number of displaced families within the Kurdistan Region, following the closure of camps in Ninewa and Sulaymaniyah.
