{"id":986,"date":"2016-10-09T17:21:59","date_gmt":"2016-10-09T13:21:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/?p=986"},"modified":"2026-02-02T11:16:48","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T09:16:48","slug":"syrian-refugee-camp-iraq","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/syrian-refugee-camp-iraq\/","title":{"rendered":"Visiting a Syrian refugee camp in Iraq"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/syrian-refugee-camp-1024x782.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/syrian-refugee-camp-1024x782.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/syrian-refugee-camp-1024x782.jpg\" alt=\"Visiting a Syrian refugee camp\" class=\"wp-image-7345\"><\/picture><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group atc-info-box is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center m-0 has-white-color has-atc-primary-green-background-color has-text-color has-background\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong>Wanna travel to <\/strong>Iraq<strong> with Against the Compass?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns px-5 mb-0 is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-normal-font-size\">Join a group of like-minded travelers in our next scheduled tour in Iraq, where we\u2019ll visit Baghdad, Babylon, Karbala, Mosul, and more<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-atc-primary-green-color has-text-color has-link-color has-normal-font-size wp-elements-07cabc91585a67f4f0a699989f8f2378\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>October 6th to 16th, 2026<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-atc-primary-green-background-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/expeditions.againstthecompass.com\/tours\/full-iraq-spanish\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">learn more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most beautiful things I\u2019ve ever done while traveling was visiting a Syrian refugee camp in Iraq and being able to help improve (even if it was just by a small amount)&nbsp;the situation of those suffering one of the worst humanitarian crises in our history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"convertkit-form wp-block-convertkit-form\" style=\"\"><script async data-uid=\"966cc0f59d\" src=\"https:\/\/exceptional-creator-2216.kit.com\/966cc0f59d\/index.js\" data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\" data-no-defer=\"1\" nowprocket><\/script><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter is-resized\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/1-3.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/1-3.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/1-3.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-15590\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:466px;height:auto\"><\/picture><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The camp I went to is called Darashakran and it&#8217;s about 40km north of the Kurdish capital, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/10-best-things-erbil-iraq\/\">Erbil<\/a><\/strong>. There are several refugee camps around Erbil. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All of them have been going since pretty much of the beginning of the Syrian War. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over 50,000 Syrian refugees (a mix of Sunnis and Kurds) live in Darashakran camp and its population has been increasing constantly since it was set up four years ago. Yeah, it is fucking crazy. The camp is like a small city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-background has-link-color wp-elements-1e733de598d929020e6834a03f581967\" style=\"background-color:#dbe2da\"><strong>Remember to get travel insurance for Iraq<\/strong><br><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.iatitravelinsurance.co.uk\/?r=30867932099453&amp;cmp=iraq_syrianrefugee_en_text\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow sponsored\">IATI Insurance<\/a><\/strong> is one of the very few that covers travel in Iraq<br>Get <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.iatitravelinsurance.co.uk\/?r=30867932099453&amp;cmp=iraq_syrianrefugee_en_text\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow sponsored\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">5% discount if purchasing via this link<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large wp-image-7337\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/darashakran-1024x768.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/darashakran-1024x768.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/darashakran-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Darashakran, a Syrian refugee camp in Iraq\" class=\"wp-image-7337\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: #808080;\"><em>Darashakran<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bringing toys for the Syrian children<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-background\" style=\"background-color:#e8e8e8\">Read about <a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/visit-mosul-iraq-after-liberation\/\"><strong>my experience visiting Mosul<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The objective of going to a refugee camp was not only to find out how refugees do actually live, but I also wanted to provide them with any kind of food or supplies which might be useful to them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, a refugee camp in Iraq does not receive a lot of attention. War and misery happen all across <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/expeditions.againstthecompass.com\/destinations\/federal-iraq\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Iraq<\/a><\/strong>, therefore local Iraqis have too many things to worry about&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to a local Kurd I met, most of the help they receive comes from the Kurdish Government and it is mainly to satisfy primary needs: pasta, rice or milk. Bringing them food would be very helpful indeed! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But I talked to several locals and they told me that, if I wanted to do something different, I could buy toys for the children. Why? Because they barely have any and for sure that would make them feel very happy. I found it to be an awesome idea!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Therefore, before heading to the camp, I stopped at Erbil&#8217;s main bazaar and bought two bags full of 30 different toys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-very-light-gray-background-color has-background\">Read: <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/places-visit-iraqi-kurdistan-itinerary\/\">Places to visit in Iraqi Kurdistan: a 2-week itinerary<\/a>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large wp-image-7333\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/buying-toys-syrian-children-1-1024x737.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/buying-toys-syrian-children-1-1024x737.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/buying-toys-syrian-children-1-1024x737.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-7333\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: #808080;\"><em>Buying toys for the children at Erbil&#8217;s main bazaar<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The way to the camp and my new Syrian friend<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The only way to get to the refugee camp is by car. <strong>Shafia<\/strong>, who was the receptionist of the hotel I stayed at, introduced me to a friend of hers who could actually take me to the camp by car. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His name was <strong>Blend<\/strong> and he was a young guy who turned out to be Syrian as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On our way to the camp, I got to know many interesting things about Blend.&nbsp;He told me that he moved from <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/expeditions.againstthecompass.com\/destinations\/syria\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Syria<\/a><\/strong> to Iraq with his family about 10 years ago in order to find better opportunities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nowadays, his father is the Minister of Agriculture in <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/places-visit-iraqi-kurdistan-itinerary\/\">Kurdistan<\/a><\/strong>. This is what he claims at least.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One interesting thing I learnt from my <a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/female-travel-iraq\/\"><strong>trip to Iraq<\/strong><\/a> is that the massive Syrian influx is not something new which began with the current war, but it has been happening for over a decade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All because&nbsp;of the dictatorial regime lead by Bashar Al Assad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Accompanying this interesting conversation&nbsp;was the Iraqi Kurdistan road to the camp which was beautiful.&nbsp;It was a pleasant one hour drive. The sun was shining over green fields and plantations of wheat and young shepherds were wandering around them with their sheep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large wp-image-7339\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/iraqi-young-shepherd-1-1024x556.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/iraqi-young-shepherd-1-1024x556.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/iraqi-young-shepherd-1-1024x556.jpg\" alt=\"A young Iraqi shepherd\" class=\"wp-image-7339\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: #808080;\"><em>A young Iraqi shepherd<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Getting inside the Syrian refugee camp<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The camp was huge. Much bigger than I could ever expect and it was fully militarized by local&nbsp;<em>peshmergas<\/em>&nbsp;(Kurdish soldiers) who were preserving the Syrians&#8217;&nbsp;safety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the camp entrance there was a checkpoint but, thanks to Blend, I didn\u2019t experience any sort of trouble. He basically said that I came to bring toys for the children so I was more than welcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once inside the camp, we just pulled over the car, got down, went on the side of the street with all the toys and offered a toy to a Syrian girl who was passing by. Shyly, she took it and went quickly to her mom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consequently, a few other kids also slowly approached me and shyly picked up a toy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Everything was going very smoothly but in a matter of 30 seconds everybody started to realize what was happening and a massive bunch of people came to me asking desperately for a toy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the first instance, they were just asking me if I could please give them a toy but in the end they just grabbed all of them out of my hands. I ran out of everything in less than a minute and many people were still asking me for more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2018\u2019<em>Shit\u2026 I should have bought more<\/em>\u2019\u2019. That\u2019s what I thought, but anyways, I think it would have been the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large wp-image-7345\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/syrian-refugee-camp-1024x782.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/syrian-refugee-camp-1024x782.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/syrian-refugee-camp-1024x782.jpg\" alt=\"Visiting a Syrian refugee camp\" class=\"wp-image-7345\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: #808080;\"><em>Stage 1: Some kids approaching me shyly<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large wp-image-7325\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/1-IMG_4656-1024x690.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/1-IMG_4656-1024x690.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/1-IMG_4656-1024x690.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-7325\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: #808080;\"><em>Stage 2: More and more people approach me<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large wp-image-7327\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/1-IMG_4660-1024x768.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/1-IMG_4660-1024x768.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/1-IMG_4660-1024x768.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-7327\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: #808080;\"><em>Stage 3: Things are getting slightly crazy<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large wp-image-7329\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/1-IMG_4662-1024x768.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/1-IMG_4662-1024x768.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/1-IMG_4662-1024x768.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-7329\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: #808080;\"><em>Stage 4: Nothing left&#8230;<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But anyhow&#8230; It was great and when everyone left, a couple of moms came to me and showed me their gratitude with a very honest smile. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Truly, I can\u2019t describe how I felt at this precise moment but, without any doubt, it was one of the most beautiful moments of my life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They also wanted to invite us for food but I don\u2019t know\u2026 I felt sorry about&nbsp;it. Kindly, I refused the invitation but I did accept some&nbsp;tea in exchange.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large wp-image-7331\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/1-IMG_4717-1024x746.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/1-IMG_4717-1024x746.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/1-IMG_4717-1024x746.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-7331\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span style=\"color: #808080;\"><em><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">Me &amp; Blend<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"convertkit-form wp-block-convertkit-form\" style=\"\"><script async data-uid=\"966cc0f59d\" src=\"https:\/\/exceptional-creator-2216.kit.com\/966cc0f59d\/index.js\" data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\" data-no-defer=\"1\" nowprocket><\/script><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Life in a Syrian refugee camp<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It was time now&nbsp;to walk around the camp and to check how life is over there. As I mentioned before, the camp is huge. It is like a small city, but not only in terms of size but also from a social point of view. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since the camp has been set up for over 4 years, refugees have already built shops, a school, a mosque and other services. They no longer live in tents but they have built their own solid houses with materials provided by the Kurdish government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large wp-image-7349\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/syrian-refugees-1024x768.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/syrian-refugees-1024x768.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/syrian-refugees-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Refugees building their new houses\" class=\"wp-image-7349\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: #808080;\"><em>Refugees building their new houses<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large wp-image-7335\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/carpet-cleaning-refugees-1-1024x739.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/carpet-cleaning-refugees-1-1024x739.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/carpet-cleaning-refugees-1-1024x739.jpg\" alt=\"Syrian refugees doing their daily tasks\" class=\"wp-image-7335\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: #808080;\"><em>Syrian refugees doing their daily tasks<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Yeah, it seems that Syrians have started a new life over there. But, honestly speaking, the camp conditions were as bad as I could had imagined. It was really sad. Dirty streets, dust everywhere, poor hygiene\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not much more to say about it. Fortunately, I wanted to highlight that <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.unicef.org\/iraq\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"rank-math-link\">Unicef Iraq<\/a><\/strong> is involved in providing a water supply and medical services to the camp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large wp-image-7341\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/streets-refugee-camp-1-1024x552.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/streets-refugee-camp-1-1024x552.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/streets-refugee-camp-1-1024x552.jpg\" alt=\"A Syrian refugee camp\" class=\"wp-image-7341\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: #808080;\"><em>The streets of Darashakran<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lots of children and lots of men in suits<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There were two things which I didn\u2019t expect and surprised me so much. One of them was <strong>the huge number children that were living in the camp<\/strong>&nbsp;and who were the largest part of the population. Seriously, there were children everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The second and even more surprising one was to see <strong>all these men dressed in suits<\/strong>. Then I recalled that many of these refugees are people with a high level of education, from engineers to lawyers, who belonged to the middle class <a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/travel-syria\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\"><strong>in Syria<\/strong><\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These people had jobs in their home country and of course wore suits occasionally, which they brought to Iraq along&nbsp;with all their other clothes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large wp-image-7343\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/syrian-children-refugees-1024x651.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/syrian-children-refugees-1024x651.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/syrian-children-refugees-1024x651.jpg\" alt=\"Some refugee kids\" class=\"wp-image-7343\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: #808080;\"><em>Some refugee kids<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The true story about&nbsp;a Syrian refugee<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-background has-link-color wp-elements-1e733de598d929020e6834a03f581967\" style=\"background-color:#dbe2da\"><strong>Remember to get travel insurance for Iraq<\/strong><br><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.iatitravelinsurance.co.uk\/?r=30867932099453&amp;cmp=iraq_syrianrefugee_en_text\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow sponsored\">IATI Insurance<\/a><\/strong> is one of the very few that covers travel in Iraq<br>Get <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.iatitravelinsurance.co.uk\/?r=30867932099453&amp;cmp=iraq_syrianrefugee_en_text\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow sponsored\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">5% discount if purchasing via this link<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was already time to leave. We had spent the whole afternoon and part of the evening walking around. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once we had said goodbye to everyone, Blend took me to another refugee camp which had one peculiarity versus the rest of the camps: it was <strong>a camp for rich Syrian refugees only<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Can you believe it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large wp-image-7347\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/syrian-refugees-iraq-1024x768.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/syrian-refugees-iraq-1024x768.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/syrian-refugees-iraq-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Syrian refugees in Iraq\" class=\"wp-image-7347\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: #808080;\"><em>Blend and his Syrian refugee friends<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It was a totally different concept of a refugee camp, as they were all living in relatively nice villas and had kind of good cars. Blend took me there because his first cousin was living there as a refugee, together with his family. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We went to his house and they invited me to have shisha and drink tea. I really wanted to ask his cousin how did everything start and how did he end up in Iraq. He explained to me that he was from a beautiful village in the eastern <a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/travel-syria\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\"><strong>part of Syria<\/strong><\/a>. One day, the Islamic State took over the village. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They had two choices. Either submitting to their rules or leaving. <strong>That was the only story\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Read More Travel Stories<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/visit-mosul-iraq-after-liberation\/\">A City Guide to Mosul<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/iron-ore-train-mauritania\/\">Iron Ore Train Guide in Mauritania<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/visit-aleppo\/\">Travel Guide to Aleppo<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/hitchhiking-backpacking-saudi-arabia\/\">Hitchhiking and Backpacking in Saudi Arabia<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/visit-saudi-arabia-ethical\/\">Is it Ethical to Visit Saudi Arabia as a Tourist<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/qashqai-people-iranian-nomads\/\">Meeting the Qashqai People<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/dheisheh-palestinian-refugee-camp-bethelehem\/\">Palestinian Refugee Camp in Bethlehem<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/nubian-people-sudan\/\">Tales of Nubian People<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/kibera-slums-visiting\/\">Visiting Kibera Slums in Kenya<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Also check our <a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/travel-iraq-federal\/\"><strong>travel guides to Iraq<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter is-resized\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Syrian-refugee-camp-Iraq-685x1024.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Syrian-refugee-camp-Iraq-685x1024.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Syrian-refugee-camp-Iraq-685x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Syrian refugee camp Iraq\" class=\"wp-image-5333\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:462px;height:auto\"><\/picture><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wanna travel to Iraq with Against the Compass? Join a group of like-minded travelers in our next scheduled tour in Iraq, where we\u2019ll visit Baghdad, Babylon, Karbala, Mosul, and more October 6th to 16th, 2026 One of the most beautiful things I\u2019ve ever done while traveling was visiting a Syrian refugee camp in Iraq and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7345,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[160,156,222],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-986","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-iraq-2","category-middle-east","category-travel-stories"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/986","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=986"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/986\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56801,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/986\/revisions\/56801"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7345"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=986"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=986"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=986"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}