IRAQ: Mosul civilians ”in grave danger” – UN

Civilians are being hit hardest as Iraq’s military assault on Mosul enters its final phase, the country’s UN humanitarian relief co-ordinator says. Lise Grande told the BBC residents were in grave danger as so-called Islamic State (IS) was directly targeting families. Many people in the city are already facing severe shortages of water and electricity. […]

Civilians are being hit hardest as Iraq’s military assault on Mosul enters its final phase, the country’s UN humanitarian relief co-ordinator says.

Lise Grande told the BBC residents were in grave danger as so-called Islamic State (IS) was directly targeting families.

Many people in the city are already facing severe shortages of water and electricity.

Iraqi forces said they made gains in a new assault on IS there on Saturday.

Troops say they made progress in a few hours as they tried to drive the militants out of the last remaining strongholds they still control in Mosul’s Old City.

Hundreds of thousands of civilians have fled the northern city since the offensive to reclaim it was launched in October last year.

Ms Grande said that the next part of the assault was going to be the hardest.

“…Civilians are going to be at the most extreme risk they have been during the entire campaign,” she said.

“We know that ISIL [IS] is directly targeting families as they try to escape, we know that there are very limited stocks of food and medicines, we know that there are severe shortages of water and electricity.