The fighting in the Islamic State-held Old City of Mosul, where hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians are trapped, could turn into the worst humanitarian "catastrophe" in the war against the militants, the United Nations warned on Tuesday.
"If there is a siege and hundreds of thousands of people don't have water and don't have food, they will be at enormous risk," U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Iraq Lise Grande told Reuters in a telephone interview.
"We could be facing a humanitarian catastrophe, perhaps the worst in the entire conflict," she added.
Mosul, the largest city in northern Iraq, was captured by the ultra-hardline Sunni Muslim fighters in mid 2014.
Iraqi government forces have taken back most of it in a U.S.-backed offensive launched in October, including the half that lies east of the Tigris river.
The militants are now surrounded in the northwestern quarter including the historic Old City, using booby traps, sniper and mortar fire against the assailants
Source: NNA
GMT 17:10 2017 Wednesday ,11 October
'Errors' let Marseille attacker walk free before attackGMT 19:24 2017 Sunday ,08 October
Iran warns US against designating Guards a terrorist groupGMT 23:41 2017 Friday ,06 October
Bahrain to attend Moscow International Quran CompetitionGMT 09:41 2017 Wednesday ,19 April
OIC concerned over violence in MaliGMT 11:32 2017 Friday ,14 April
OIC concerned over violence in MaliMaintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2023 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2023 ©