Fears for civilians in Mosul

IRAQ: Charity claims there are no safe escape routes from city ahead of assault on IS

More than one million people are facing an “impossible decision” as a military assault is launched against Islamic State (IS) fighters.

Coalition forces are backing local government and Kurdish military with air strikes in an attempt to take Mosul, the second-largest city in Iraq, back from IS rule.

Safe escape routes out of the city for civilians caught up in the bloody conflict “do not exist”, Save the Children has warned.

Families and children have been advised by local forces to stay inside and place a white flag on their homes in a bid to stay safe, the charity’s spokesman, Ruairidh Villar, said.”

Children in Mosul, which has been under IS control for two years, face further trauma amid the bombardment of the city, Mr Villar added.

The charity said the UN’s emergency appeal is not well enough funded, meaning camps that are only ready to house around 60,000 people could be “overwhelmed within days”.

Save the Children is providing emergency water supplies, dried food, soap and other items to displaced families, and has appealed for donations.

Shadow international development secretary Kate Osamor said: “It is important that all sides engaged in this conflict take every step possible to ensure that civilian lives are not put in peril and provide unfettered access to humanitarian aid.”

Picture: Anadolu Agency. Peshmerga forces prepare to join Iraqi government forces in driving IS out of the Iraqi city of Mosul.