10,000 Iraqis displaced since start of Mosul offensive

Approximately 10,000 Iraqis have fled their homes since the start of the military operation to retake Mosul from Daesh, Masralarabia.com reported the Iraqi Ministry of Immigration said yesterday.

In a statement, the ministry said that 9,795 Iraqis consisting of 1,670 families fled their homes in the province of Ninawa near Mosul.

The ministry also said that it distributed the displaced people in several camps which were readied ahead of the expected exodus of refugees.

In addition, the ministry said that it had prepared sufficient space for 250,000 refugees and that it is building more housing units.

On 17 October, a wide-scale military campaign, backed by the air force of the international coalition, started to liberate Mosul from Daesh, the last stronghold of the extremist group in the country.

The UN expected that more than a million Iraqis could be displaced during the operation, warning that Daesh might use civilians as human shields.

Since the beginning of Daesh control of the Iraqi cities two years ago, more than three million Iraqis have been displaced.