– 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by on 2016-06-29.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the humanitarian challenges faced by people fleeing Fallujah following the military offensive there, and (2) the views expressed by the International Committee of the Red Cross that fleeing refugees are now facing the harshest weather” that they have ever encountered

Baroness Verma

According to the UN, 85,000 people have been displaced from Fallujah and the surrounding area since May. The UK is concerned by the humanitarian situation in the Fallujah area, including overcrowded camps and the risks posed by the extreme heat of the Iraqi summer.

The UK is working closely with UN, government and other partners to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches people who have fled Fallujah. We call on all sides to the conflict to respect International Humanitarian Law and to ensure free, unimpeded access for humanitarian agencies.

Since June 2014, the UK has committed £79.5 million in humanitarian assistance to the crisis in Iraq. The UK is the largest contributor to the Iraq Humanitarian Pooled Fund, through which we are funding projects to support those leaving Fallujah.