Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what humanitarian assistance his Department plans to offer to the Kurdistan Regional Government as a result of Turkey’s recent military action in the Kurdish controlled territory of northern Syria.

The UN estimates that 160,000 civilians have been internally displaced in Northeast Syria due to Turkey’s recent military action. An estimated 1,500 people have crossed the border into Iraq which is already hosting 229,000 refugees. Those that have arrived in Iraq have been registered and assisted by the Kurdistan Regional Government and the UN Refugee Agency.

The Secretary of State has been in touch with Sir Mark Lowcock, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, and the UK is closely monitoring potential humanitarian impacts on Iraq. There are currently resources in place to respond, but we stand ready to assist should there be a significant deterioration in the situation.