Dozens of displaced Iraqis flee Islamic State controlled villages to Qayyara

Record ID: 84073

  • Title: Dozens of displaced Iraqis flee Islamic State controlled villages to Qayyara
  • Date: 22nd October 2016
  • Summary: QAYYARA, IRAQ (OCTOBER 22, 2016) (REUTERS) DISPLACED VILLAGERS AND ARMY MEMBERS STANDING ON ROAD LEADING TO QAYYARA PEOPLE FROM VILLAGES SURROUNDING QAYYARA GATHERING ROUND CARS HEADED FOR QAYYARA BOY TALKING TO GROUP OF SOLDIERS / MEN CRAMMED INTO TRUNK OF A CAR DRIVING TOWARDS QAYYARA VEHICLES PARKED ON ROADSIDE MAN SITTING ON TOP OF A PICKUP TRUCK IRAQI ARMY SOLDIER SPEAKING TO DRIVER OF CAR (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MAN DRIVING TOWARDS QAYYARA, HAMDI ALI, SAYING: "Our morale is very high, thanks to your efforts, the efforts of the heroic Iraqi army. We were prisoners, they had us imprisoned. Many people had very little food, and they would kill people, if you're doing something wrong they would give you a hundred lashes." HAMDI ALI DRIVING AWAY (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HEAD OF FEDERAL POLICE, BRIGADIER GENERAL FARES ABBAS, SAYING: "The plan for refugees is that those who want to stay in their villages can stay. To those who feel insecure in their villages we offer our help only if they ask for it. We move them elsewhere. Our instructions indicate that all people living in Mosul should live in their homes, dignified and secure. We also send them food aid and medical aid, to save them from ISIS (a commonly used acronym for Islamic State) militants. As you know ISIS militants had them imprisoned and now we are liberating them." VARIOUS OF REFUGEES STANDING ON ROAD LEADING TO QAYYARA
  • Embargoed: 6th November 2016 16:30
  • Keywords: Qayyara Iraq displaced refugee Islamic State village
  • Location: QAYYARA, IRAQ
  • City: QAYYARA, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
  • Reuters ID: LVA0015535LQF
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Dozens of Iraqis fled on Saturday (October 22) from nearby villages to the district of Qayyara, which was recaptured by Iraqi forces from Islamic State militants as part of an operation to regain control over Mosul.
    An offensive started on Monday (October 17) to capture the city, and is expected to become the biggest battle fought in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.
    The United Nations says Mosul could require the biggest humanitarian relief operation in the world, with worst-case scenario forecasts of up to a million people being uprooted.
    There are already more than three million people displaced in Iraq as a result of conflicts involving Islamic State and up to 100,000 Iraqis may flee Mosul to Syria and Turkey.
    In Mosul itself, medicine is in short supply and food prices have risen sharply.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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