DUBAI, 5 August 2007 (IRIN) - Contents:

IRAQ: Families in south displaced as former Baathists targeted IRAQ: Anisah Kaseb, "Violence has destroyed my family" IRAQ: IDP camp in south closes to new arrivals IRAQ-JORDAN: New report urges donors to boost humanitarian aid IRAQ: Um Muhammad al-Daraj, "I had to forget my honour to save my husband's life" SYRIA: Minister criticises lack of international support for refugee health YEMEN: Humanitarian situation in Saada remains poor despite peace agreement

IRAQ: Families in south displaced as former Baathists targeted

Militants in southern areas of Iraq are reportedly targeting former members of the Baath Party in a bid to exterminate them, causing new displacements, according to local non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

[This story is available on IRIN's Arabic website: http://arabic.irinnews.org/]

At least 200 ex-members of the Baath Party of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein have been killed so far. According to local police, hundreds of families have been forced to flee their homes.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73485

IRAQ: Anisah Kaseb, "Violence has destroyed my family"

Housekeeper and mother of three Anisah Kaseb, 58, says the relentless violence in Iraq has damaged her family psychologically: Her younger son committed suicide and her daughter now requires psychological help.

Widowed and dependent on her deceased husband's pension, Kaseb tries to make some extra money by cooking for marriage parties or washing laundry at home. Her plight has worsened of late.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73502

IRAQ: IDP camp in south closes to new arrivals

An internally displaced persons (IDP) camp just outside the southern Iraqi city of Najaf has closed to new arrivals, forcing hundreds of Iraqis fleeing violence in Baghdad and neighbouring governorates to look elsewhere for refuge.

[This story is available on IRIN's Arabic website: http://arabic.irinnews.org/

Families trying to access Najaf's al-Manathera camp told IRIN they were desperately searching for a place to stay as their children were getting sick in the hot weather and they had no food or shelter.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73528

IRAQ-JORDAN: New report urges donors to boost humanitarian aid

Aid activists hope a new report on the dire conditions of eight million Iraqis will open the eyes of the world to a looming humanitarian crisis and push the international community to help.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73531

IRAQ: Um Muhammad al-Daraj, "I had to forget my honour to save my husband's life"

Mother of three Um Muhammad al-Daraj, 35, recently went through a traumatic ordeal to try to save her husband's life. She told IRIN her husband was kidnapped by militants who had accused him of supporting the insurgents. After two days without news of her husband, Ahmed, two people came to her home and ordered her to follow them to meet her husband, who was reportedly being interrogated.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73543

SYRIA: Minister criticises lack of international support for refugee health

Syria's minister of health said providing free medical care to the over 1.5 million Iraqi refugees in Syria is costing the country around US$60 million a year, a burden he criticised the international community for failing to take responsibility for.

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73489

YEMEN: Humanitarian situation in Saada remains poor despite peace agreement The humanitarian situation in Yemen's northern governorate of Saada remains poor as displaced families have not been able to return in spite of the peace agreement between the government and rebels, activists and officials say.

[This story is available on IRIN's Arabic website: http://arabic.irinnews.org/]

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73507

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