Islamic State using one lakh civilians as 'human shields' in Mosul, claims United Nations

Geneva: The United Nations on Friday said that the Islamic State group jihadists may be holding more than one lakh Iraqi civilians as human shields in the old city of Mosul. [caption id=“attachment_3496989” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Mosul, Iraq. Reuters[/caption] Iraqi forces are fighting to retake Mosul from Islamic State, after the jihadist group overran the city in 2014, imposing its brutal rule on its inhabitants. The UN refugee agency’s representative in Iraq Bruno Geddo said that Islamic State had been capturing civilians in battles outside of Mosul and had been forcing them into the old city, one of the last parts of the city in their grip. “More than one lakh civilians may still be held in the Old City”, Geddo told reporters in Geneva. “We know that Islamic State has moved the civilians with them, as they left to the locations where the fighting was going on. These civilians are basically held as human shields in the old city”, he said With virtually no food, water or electricity left in the area, the civilians are “living in an increasingly worsening situation of penury and panic”, he added. “They are surrounded by fighting on every side.” Snipers meanwhile try to kill anyone trying to leave the area under jihadist control, he said, adding that the few who manage to escape are “deeply traumatised”. Since the battle to retake Mosul began nine months ago, an estimated 08,62,000 lakh people have been displaced from the city, although 01,95,000 lakh have since returned, mainly to the liberated east of the city. That means that 06,67,000 lakh people remain displaced, nearly all of them from western Mosul, and are living in 13 camps set up by UNHCR or with host families. Geddo said the UN agency so far had provided assistance to more than 05,00,000 lakh of the displaced people, and was also attempting to help those returning to Mosul, often to live in bombed-out buildings. “Many of these people are returning to situations of penury”, he warned.