Eastern Mosul residents speak of IS mortar attacks and lack of provisions

Record ID: 77476

  • Title: Eastern Mosul residents speak of IS mortar attacks and lack of provisions
  • Date: 25th November 2016
  • Summary: ZAHRA NEIGHBOURHOOD, MOSUL, IRAQ (NOVEMBER 24, 2016) (REUTERS) ARMOURED VEHICLES AND TRUCK DRIVING ON ROAD IN CONVOY ZAHRA RESIDENTS IN STREET ZAHRA RESIDENTS STANDING IN FRONT OF BLUE DOOR CHILDREN BY BLUE DOOR, ONE MAKING PEACE SIGN ZAHRA RESIDENTS GATHERING BY GATE OF HOUSE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT OF ZAHRA NEIGHBOURHOOD, AHMED MOHAMMED HAMZA, SAYING: "Mortars frequently land here. You can see the situation. The area has been hit by mortars almost daily. We want a halt of mortar attacks. Food is in short supply. There is no water and no food. When food is distributed only the young can get food while the old cannot." CONVOY OF IRAQI MILITARY VEHICLES AL-ZAHRA RESIDENTS WALKING TOWARDS SOLDIER AL-ZAHRA RESIDENTS GATHERED NEAR GATE OF HOUSE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT OF ZAHRA DISTRICT, HARETH, SAYING: "With no water and no health services, people are going to die. A mortar lands here almost every 15 minutes. All the people will die. People are now burning their dead in the gardens of their houses. The situation is very bad." MALE ZAHRA RESIDENTS STANDING NEXT TO BUCKETS WHICH THEY HOPE TO BE FILLED WITH WATER DAMAGED BUILDING VARIOUS OF CHILDREN AND MEN CARRYING SACKS ALONG ROAD DAMAGED BUILDINGS EITHER SIDE OF ROAD VARIOUS OF ZAHRA RESIDENTS CARRYING THEIR BELONGINGS AS THEY LEAVE THE NEIGHBOURHOOD, ONE CARRYING WHITE FLAG TAHRIR NEIGHBOURHOOD, MOSUL, IRAQ (NOVEMBER 24, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TAHRIR RESIDENTS QUEUING FOR AID (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT OF TAHRIR NEIGHBOURHOOD, FARAJ QREJER, SAYING: "The security situation is very good, people have remained at home and have not fled. They do not have problems and they are getting aid. The only thing we need is petrol to operate generators as there is no electricity." VARIOUS OF TAHRIR RESIDENTS QUEUING FOR AID (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT OF TAHRIR NEIGHBOURHOOD, SALIM AZIZ ALI, SAYING: "All the people of Mosul, and in particular the residents of the eastern side where fighting is going on, are suffering. If we won't be killed by mortar shells or rockets, we will die from starvation." VARIOUS OF AID BOXES BEING DISTRIBUTED FAMILIES CARRYING AID BOXES
  • Embargoed: 10th December 2016 12:39
  • Keywords: ISIS IS Islamic State Mosul Mosul residents mortars aid
  • Location: MOSUL, IRAQ
  • City: MOSUL, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
  • Reuters ID: LVA00159Y0O5J
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Residents in eastern parts of Mosul spoke of Islamic State mortar attacks, a lack of food, water, petrol and electricity on Thursday (November 24) as aid was shown being distributed in the area.
    The Mosul neighbourhood of Zahra was cleared of Islamic State fighters nearly three weeks ago but residents said mortars continue to land.
    "The area has been hit by mortars almost daily," Zahra resident Ahmed Mohammed Hamza said. "There is no water and no food. When food is distributed only the young can get food while the old cannot."
    Another Zahra resident said the situation in the neighbourhood was very bad.
    "A mortar lands here almost every 15 minutes. All the people will die. People are now burning their dead in the gardens of their houses," said a man who identified himself as Hareth.
    Many people in Zahra stayed inside their houses while fighting took place around them but families were seen packing to leave.
    In the nearby neighbourhood of Tahrir aid was shown being distributed to residents.
    One resident, Faraj Qrejer, said people there had not fled. He did however say there was a lack of petrol to operate generators and a lack of electricity.
    Trucks loaded with basic food packages arrive every day at a square next to a military headquarters.
    However, soldiers struggle to impose order as people run towards the location the moment they arrive.
    Iraq's U.S.-trained Counter Terrorism Service breached Islamic State defences in east Mosul at the end of October.
    The city is ringed to the north, south and east by Iraqi government forces and Kurdish peshmerga forces.
    Islamic State fighters in Mosul are dug in among more than a million civilians as a tactic to hamper air strikes.
    They are resisting the advancing troops with suicide car bombs and sniper and mortar fire.
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