Iraq denies reports of border opening for 350,000 Syrians

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Interior Ministry on Monday denied reports claiming the country had opened its borders to receive 350,000 Syrian refugees.

In a statement, the ministry said “some social media platforms circulated news claiming that ‘Iraq opened the borders to Syrian refugees to receive 350,000 refugees’.”

It added, “While we categorically deny this news in its entirety, we call for accuracy in conveying information, obtaining news exclusively from its official sources, and staying away from malicious rumors.”

The ministry also stressed the need for bloggers not to circulate incorrect information and highlighted the importance of following the official websites of authorized authorities.

On Feb. 1, 2026, the state-run newspaper Al-Sabah reported that Iraq hosts more than 340,000 refugees and asylum seekers of various nationalities, with Syrians forming the largest share, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. UNHCR spokesperson in Iraq Lili Karlaoui was quoted as saying that “about 88% of refugees in Iraq are Syrians,” while noting that most internally displaced Iraqis live in private housing inside cities or in informal settlements, and that more than 101,000 displaced Iraqis remain in 20 camps in the Kurdistan Region.

The report was later circulated on some social media platforms as claims that Iraq would host additional refugees, prompting official denials.