Iraq war refugees: Where are they now?

On 20 March 2003, then-president George W Bush instructed the US and coalition forces to invade Iraq in an attempt to topple Saddam Hussein’s regime.

The president claimed the dictator was actively developing weapons of mass destruction, but this was later found to be untrue.

Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi people were forced to flee their homes, with many making perilous journeys in an attempt to reach safety.

20 years after the war, The Independent has spoken to two refugees about how their lives were changed.

Roza Kurdo escaped killings in Iraqi Kurdistan and fled to the UK with her mother in 2001.

Edwin Shuker left Iraq due to the persecution of Jewish people in 1971. He is now vice president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews.

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