Refugees flee Mosul, Iraq
The United States said up to 900 Islamic State group jihadists have been killed in the offensive to retake Iraq’s Mosul, as camps around the city filled with fleeing civilians.
Iraqis who fled their homes expressed joy at escaping IS’s brutal rule as they were given shelter and assistance, in some cases reuniting with relatives they had not seen in more than two years.
The offensive, launched on October 17, is seeing tens of thousands of Iraqi fighters advancing on Mosul from the south, east and north in a bid to retake the last major Iraqi city under IS control.
Aid workers have warned of a major humanitarian crisis when fighting begins in earnest for Mosul, which is home to more than a million people, but thousands have already been fleeing surrounding areas.
The International Organization for Migration said that 15,804 people have been displaced since the operation began, the vast majority from Nineveh province, of which Mosul is the capital. (AFP)
See RELATED STORY by Ash Gallagher for Yahoo News
See more news-related photo galleries and follow us on Yahoo News Photo Tumblr.
