Amnesty International is accusing the United States and other nations of evading its responsibility toward Iraqi refugees by promoting a false picture of the security situation in Iraq. Amnesty’s Sarnata Reynolds said, “While the US government’s rhetoric indicates otherwise, the human rights situation in Iraq remains too dire to encourage voluntary returns.” According to the United Nations, the number of Iraqis who have fled their homes has now reached 4.7 million, the highest number since the US invasion.

Iraqi refugee living in Damascus: “Their houses have been even destroyed or taken by another persons. There is no services like drinkable water, electricity. Even for the hospitals, it’s not qualified enough to have medical treatment for the people. For the schools, there is always fighting from the family about their children; they’re concerned about their children from being kidnapping.”