Stockholm (AINA) -- The Swedish government decided on Tuesday to allocate 40 million SEK (5.2 million USD) for humanitarian aid to displaced persons in Iraq. Sweden has now contributed a total of 190 million SEK since the beginning of 2014, making the small Nordic country one of the top donors to Iraq. The aid will be distributed through UNICEF and UNHCR.

"We welcome this announcement, it will help many persons who have have been displaced and who now face the winter," said Tony Meshko, vice president of the Assyrian federation of Sweden, who has been lobbying the government. "However, we believe Sweden can do more, especially on the political level to raise the issue of the minorities. We will continue our efforts to lobby the government."

According to the UNHCR more than 2 million Iraqis are now internally displaced because of the terror of the Islamic state. More than 600,000 of those are in immediate need of winter gear.

See Timeline of ISIS in North Iraq.

Nearly 200,000 Assyrians have fled their homes in the Nineveh Plain of Iraq and are now living in the Dohuk and Arbel areas.