50,000 Iraqi civilians ”at great risk” in Falluja

The UN has said it is very concerned about the fate of some 50,000 civilians in Falluja, where Iraqi forces are battling so-called Islamic State. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the civilians were at “great risk” and called for the provision of safe corridors to allow them to leave. Soldiers, police and militiamen began an […]

The UN has said it is very concerned about the fate of some 50,000 civilians in Falluja, where Iraqi forces are battling so-called Islamic State.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the civilians were at “great risk” and called for the provision of safe corridors to allow them to leave.
Soldiers, police and militiamen began an offensive to retake Falluja, 50km (30 miles) west of Baghdad, on Monday.
The city has been held by IS longer than any other in Iraq or Syria.
The jihadists overran Falluja in January 2014, six months before it routed the Iraqi army and seized control of large parts of northern and western Iraq.