(Beirut) – The Iraqi authorities have finally dispersed a first round of compensation payments to people from Sinjar district in northern Iraq for damages to their property both by the Islamic State (ISIS) and the Iraqi and US-led coalition military battles against them, Human Rights Watch said today. The payments were made after years of delay though recipients are entitled to the payments under Iraqi law.
A representative of the Sinjar compensation sub-office told Human Rights Watch that the authorities approved release of 99 billion Iraqi dinars (approximately US$75.5 million) in compensation payments to 11,000 people, 3,500 of whom are from Sinjar and 7,500 from the rest of Ninewa governorate. About 11,500 completed compensation claims from Sinjar are still awaiting payment, the representative said. He added that a second round of payments to cover the remaining families is expected soon.
“Iraqi authorities’ payment of compensation will have real, tangible benefits on the lives of Sinjaris, many of whom have suffered years of hardship after their property was lost or damaged a decade ago,” said Sarah Sanbar, Iraq researcher at Human Rights Watch. “These payments will allow Sinjaris to finally rebuild some of their homes and businesses and help them regain their livelihoods.”
A 57-year-old man from Sinjar living in Zakho, whose name is withheld to protect his privacy, told Human Rights Watch he was doubtful he would ever receive his compensation payment when he started the process years ago. “When I saw my name on the list a few weeks ago, it was a huge relief,” he said. “I hadn’t intended to return because my house is completely destroyed, but now rebuilding it is an option.”
Sinjar, a mountainous district in northwestern Iraq, is home to a mixed population of Kurds, Arabs, and Yazidis, an ethnic and religious minority. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), 80 percent of public infrastructure and 70 percent of homes in the town of Sinjar, the largest city in the district, were destroyed during the conflict against ISIS between 2014 and 2017.
Law No. 20 of 2009 entitles Iraqis to make compensation claims for damages “as a result of war operations, military mistakes, and terrorist operations.” The law provides for compensation to all civilian victims of war or their family members in cases of death, enforced disappearance, disability, injuries, damaged property, and/or disadvantage related to job or education.
In May 2023 and in July 2024, Human Rights Watch found that not a single person from Sinjar had been paid compensation to which they are legally entitled under Law No. 20. Human Rights Watch also found that the government’s failure to pay this compensation was one of the major barriers preventing the return of tens of thousands of Sinjaris who remain in displaced people’s camps that the government intends to close, along with lagging reconstruction and poor public services.
“The government is fulfilling its obligations by making these payments, but they won’t be enough by themselves,” Sanbar said. “The payments should be accompanied by efforts to improve services and rebuild Sinjar so people can return and live there with dignity.”
