Nineveh officials push reconstruction and support for survivors of ISIS atrocities

BAGHDAD / SHIGUR, Iraq — As Nineveh Plains continues its long road to recovery from years of conflict, local authorities and reconstruction teams are working with renewed urgency to restore infrastructure and rebuild communities.

In a series of intensive meetings, the Head of the Fund for the Reconstruction of Areas Affected by Terrorist Operations, Engineer Saad Amin al-Jabouri, and Nineveh Governor Abdul Qadir al-Dakhil reaffirmed their commitment to accelerating reconstruction projects, restoring essential services, and enhancing support for survivors of the Islamic State (ISIS).

During al-Jabouri’s visit to Nineveh, he and al-Dakhil held an expanded meeting to assess ongoing service projects and address obstacles hindering their implementation. Al-Jabouri emphasized the Fund’s determination to complete all work according to technical specifications and established timelines, stressing that cooperation between the Fund and local government is vital to revitalizing critical sectors and ensuring lasting stability.

In a separate meeting at the Fund’s headquarters in Baghdad, the two officials discussed investment and operational plans for 2023–2024, as well as procedures for integrating projects into the Ministry of Planning’s framework. Both underscored that restoring Nineveh’s infrastructure is essential for the return of displaced families and the reestablishment of normal life across the province.

Reconstruction efforts, however, extend beyond physical infrastructure. Al-Dakhil chaired a high-level meeting focused on supporting Yezidi, Christian, Shabak, and Turkmen survivors, in line with directives from Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani. The meeting produced several key decisions, including the allocation of 200 plots of land in Shigur (Şengal / Sinjar) and 400 more in the Northern Municipality, along with residential land grants in Mosul for survivors from Nineveh Plains.

Al-Dakhil affirmed the local government’s moral and humanitarian responsibility toward these victims, pledging to provide both domestic and overseas medical care and to streamline land ownership procedures. He stressed that the ultimate goal is to ensure survivors lead dignified lives, achieve social justice, and receive compensation for the suffering they endured during years of violence and displacement.