Peregraf- More than 806,000 Iraqis have migrated to foreign countries since 2015, while at least 609 migrants have died or gone missing along migration routes during the same period, according to figures released by the Lutka Foundation for Refugee and Displaced Affairs.
Presenting its annual migration assessment at a press conference on Friday, the organization said migration from Iraq continues despite a gradual decline in the number of people leaving the country in recent years.
According to the foundation, 806,593 Iraqis migrated abroad between 2015 and the first half of 2026.
Of that number, the foundation said 609 migrants became casualties during their journeys: 358 people died and their bodies were recovered, while another 251 remain missing.
The organization also said three migrants have died on irregular migration routes since the start of 2026, while one additional migrant remains missing.
Declining Migration Numbers
According to the foundation's data, migration peaked in 2015, when 186,422 Iraqis left the country amid the rise of the Islamic State group (ISIS), widespread insecurity, and large-scale displacement.
The foundation said migration numbers have generally declined since then.
According to the organization, 2023 recorded the lowest number of migrants, with 19,500 departures. During the first six months of 2026, the foundation recorded 11,740 Iraqis as having migrated abroad.
The foundation said the deadliest year for migrants was 2016, when 132 people were reported dead or missing, including 78 confirmed deaths and 54 disappearances.
By contrast, it said 2023 recorded the lowest number of casualties, with nine victims, including seven deaths and two missing persons.
So far in 2026, the foundation reported four migrants as casualties, including three deaths and one disappearance.
Hundreds of Families Still Await Answers
The Lutka Foundation said it has worked in recent years to help repatriate the remains of migrants who died abroad.
According to the organization, the bodies of approximately 300 migrants have been returned to their families in the Kurdistan Region.
However, the foundation said hundreds of families are still waiting for information about relatives who disappeared during migration attempts, particularly those who vanished at sea.
The foundation said many deaths occur during attempts to reach Europe through irregular migration routes.
Aegean Sea Remains Deadliest Route
According to the organization, most migrant deaths occur in the Aegean Sea during attempts to cross from Türkiye to Europe aboard overcrowded and often unsafe boats.
The foundation said boat sinkings and capsizing incidents have resulted in dozens of deaths and disappearances over the past decade.
The foundation identified conflict, violence, economic hardship, unemployment, and environmental challenges as the primary factors it says are driving migration from Iraq.
While migration levels have declined since the height of the ISIS conflict, the organization said many Iraqis continue to seek opportunities abroad due to economic uncertainty and concerns about their future prospects.
The foundation's figures point to what it describes as the ongoing human cost of irregular migration and the risks faced by those attempting to reach Europe through smuggling networks and hazardous sea routes.