BREAKING NEWS

Civilians in Mosul could face worst catastrophe in Iraq conflict, UN warns

By REUTERS

APRIL 18, 2017 14:39

ERBIL, Iraq - The fighting in the Islamic State-held Old City of Mosul, where hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians are trapped, could turn into the worst humanitarian "catastrophe" in the war against the militants, the United Nations warned on Tuesday.

"If there is a siege and hundreds of thousands of people don’t have water and don’t have food, they will be at enormous risk," UN humanitarian coordinator for Iraq Lise Grande told Reuters in a telephone interview.

"We could be facing a humanitarian catastrophe, perhaps the worst in the entire conflict," she added.

Mosul, the largest city in northern Iraq, was captured by the ultra-hardline Sunni Muslim fighters in mid 2014.

Iraqi government forces have taken back most of it in a US-backed offensive launched in October, including the half that lies east of the Tigris river.

The militants are now surrounded in the northwestern quarter including the historic Old City, using booby traps, sniper and mortar fire against the assailants.

IDF orders evacuation near Hezbollah target in southern Lebanon

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF

05/22/2025 07:21 PM

IDF tank commander severely wounded in Gaza

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF

05/22/2025 06:55 PM

Witkoff, Michael Anton to arrive in Rome for Iran nuclear talks

By AMICHAI STEIN

05/22/2025 06:41 PM

IDF arrests terror cell of 20 suspects in West Bank operation

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF

05/22/2025 06:31 PM