- Title: Hundreds of Iraqis flee from homes south of Mosul
- Date: 27th October 2016
- Summary: NEAR BASHIQA, IRAQ (OCTOBER 27, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DISPLACED PEOPLE WALKING TOWARDS THE PESHMERGA SHEEP WALKING THROUGH THE AREA / WOMAN WITH WHITE FLAG DISPLACED PEOPLE WALKING VARIOUS OF PESHMERGA FORCES WALKING WITH A FAMILY PESHMERGA FIGHTER CARRYING A CHILD DISPLACED PEOPLE SERVED FOOD BY PESHMERGA FORCES IN A HOUSE USED AS HEADQUARTERS NEAR BASHIQA VILLAGE CHILDREN OPENING PACKAGES OF FOOD VARIOUS OF WOMAN FEEDING CHILD (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT OF ABU JARBOA, ABU ANHAR, SAYING: "We left the village, I took off my shirt and walked from one house to another until we were able to escape. The situation was difficult, there was nothing available, no electricity, no water, our life was very difficult. We left three days ago, not sure if they (Islamic State militants) are still there." VARIOUS OF DISPLACED WOMEN AND CHILDREN WOMAN HOLDING CHILD CHILD SITTING ON THE FLOOR (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PESHMERGA FIGHTER, BARZAN SADIQ, SAYING "Today we received a number of families who fled from the Abu Jarboa village. They arrived at around ten in the morning, they came carrying a white flag towards the berm, and we received them. Some Peshmerga fighters risked their lives to save these families, they came and we welcomed them." VARIOUS OF A MAN BLINDFOLDED AND HELD IN THE BACK OF A TRUCK / PESHMERGA FORCES STANDING AROUND DISPLACED PEOPLE SPEAKING TO PESHMERGA FORCES DISPLACED PEOPLE BOARDING A TRUCK VARIOUS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN THE BACK OF A PICKUP TRUCK VARIOUS OF HEAVY SMOKE RISING FROM TARGETED LOCATIONS IN BASHIQA
- Embargoed: 11th November 2016 15:23
- Keywords: Iraq Mosul Bashiqa displaced Islamic State Abu Jarboa
- Location: BASHIQA, IRAQ
- City: BASHIQA, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA00155S8APZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Hundreds of Iraqis fled their homes in the village of Abu Jarboa on Thursday (October 27) fearing Islamic State retaliation and continued clashes in the area.
The displaced people, carrying their most essential belongings and makeshift white flags, were met by Peshmerga forces, who served them food and water at a home near the village of Bashiqa.
One man, Abu Anhar, said he took off his white shirt to indicate that he was a civilian, as he walked towards the Peshmerga forces. Women and children were transported by trucks to nearby refugee camps.
"There was nothing available, no electricity, no water, our life was very difficult. We left three days ago, not sure if they (Islamic State militants) are still there," said Anhar.
Peshmerga fighter, Barzan Sadiq, said some of the forces risked their lives to help the families reach safety.
According to the army, about 90 Islamic State-held villages and towns around Mosul have been retaken so far in the campaign that aims to crush the Iraqi half of Islamic State's declared caliphate in Iraq and Syria. It may become the biggest battle yet in the 13 years of turmoil triggered by the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, and could require a massive humanitarian relief operation.
Some 1.5 million residents remain in the city and worst-case forecasts see up to a million being uprooted, according to the United Nations. U.N. aid agencies said the fighting has so far forced about 7,400 to flee their homes. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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