Shigur District Administrator Naif Sido criticizes Iraq’s reconstruction efforts as insufficient and unjust

SHIGUR, Iraq — Naif Sido, District Administrator of Shigur (Şengal / Sinjar), criticized the Iraqi federal government for its failure to provide adequate services to the war-torn region, which remains severely damaged from the devastation caused by the Islamic State (ISIS) and the fight to retake the city.

“The funds allocated by the government for Shigur’s reconstruction do not reflect the magnitude of destruction to its infrastructure, buildings, and economy,” Sido stated. He criticized the allocation process, which is based on population size rather than the severity of destruction, calling it a “grave injustice” to the district’s residents.

While the government officially allocated 50 billion Iraqi Dinars to the Shigur Reconstruction Fund, Sido revealed that only 4.8 billion dinars have been spent in the district. “Despite our repeated objections and demands for increased support, our appeals have not been taken seriously,” he added.

Sido pointed out that much of Shigur’s infrastructure remains in ruins, government buildings remain unrepaired, and residents have not received compensation for their damaged properties.

He emphasized that reconstruction efforts must align with the scale of destruction to enable the return of displaced families and ensure lasting stability.

The deteriorating infrastructure and lack of essential services continue to hinder the return of tens of thousands of Shigur residents, who have been displaced since the ISIS onslaught in 2014.