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Iraq prepares for 'at least 300,000' to flee Mosul

By Khalid al-Taie

Workers in the village of Hasan Sham, some 45 kilometres east of the city of Mosul, on October 6, 2016, build shelters to house civilians who are expected to flee the violence as a result of the liberation operation to retake the city. [Safin Hamed/AFP]

Workers in the village of Hasan Sham, some 45 kilometres east of the city of Mosul, on October 6, 2016, build shelters to house civilians who are expected to flee the violence as a result of the liberation operation to retake the city. [Safin Hamed/AFP]

After weeks of planning, the battle to liberate Mosul from the "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) began Monday (October 17th) .

The start of the long-awaited assault raised deep concerns for hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped in Iraq's second-largest city, with the Iraqi government launching an October 8th humanitarian emergency plan to respond to potential mass exodus from Mosul.

Ministry of Migration and Displacement efforts are currently concentrated on "pre-emptive and integrated readiness", said ministry undersecretary Jasem al-Attiyeh.

As part of the government's humanitarian emergency plan, a joint operations centre for humanitarian co-ordination was opened in Erbil in conjunction with the start of the military operations, he told Diyaruna.

The centre will co-ordinate with the security forces, the Supreme National Commission for the relief of the displaced, local agencies and international humanitarian organisations.

Providing aid and shelter

The plan emphasises providing all urgent humanitarian services to fleeing residents, including shelter, food and medical attention.

At least 300,000 and up to one million Mosul residents are expected to flee the city, al-Attiyeh said, adding that the plan aims to provide an "early response" to this wave of displacement.

"We currently have an initial stock of approximately 50,000 tents," he said. "These tents will be distributed to all fronts that are likely to witness a wave of displacement."

Camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) will be spread around Mosul, in al-Qayyarah and Salaheddine province to the south, in Erbil to the east, and Dohuk province to the north and west, he said.

As for relief support, the ministry has prepared 150,000 baskets of basic food supplies and shelter kits, including blankets, bedding and tools for cooking, al-Attiyeh said.

"Our preparations will continue in the framework of that plan and we will seek as much as possible to be ready for all potential scenarios," he added.

"The Iraqi army has gained good experience and skill in positively dealing with cases of mass displacement of citizens during its battles with terrorist elements," said Ninawa Liberation Operations Command spokesman Brig. Firas Bashar Sabri.

"In every battle they have so far waged, military forces have been opening safe corridors for fleeing residents and receiving them in pre-announced locations where they were provided with food and medical services before being moved to shelter camps," he told Diyaruna.

"In the battle to liberate al-Qayyarah, we asked residents to stay in their homes and abide by the directives of the military leadership," Sabri said.

The battle was "easy and successful", he said, adding that no large wave of displacement was noted.

Containing the potential crisis

"We plan to have a repeat of that experience in future military operations," he said, "and to intensify co-ordination with the Ministry of Migration and all humanitarian stakeholders to contain any displacement crisis that might occur."

The local government has established an operations centre that includes representatives from various local departments and government agencies, said provincial council security committee chairman Hashem Barifkani.

"The Ninawa health department has begun putting together mobile health teams to treat the sick and injured," he said.

It has also readied the Sheikhan General Hospital to the north of Mosul to receive and treat emergency medical conditions, he told Diyaruna.

"Additionally, we are working with the Ministry of Migration to establish five new IDP camps near Mosul to accommodate the large number of displaced families," he said.

"We expect [the Mosul battle] to be a qualitative and quick battle, just like the operation to retake al-Qayyarah and contrary to all speculations about its difficulty," he said.

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Allah willing, Mosul will be liberated by honest Iraqis and the corrupters, saboteurs and terrorists will be crushed. Victory is imminent, Allah willing.

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The Islamic State will return with Allah's permission in spite of America's dogs.

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