The "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) is shooting and killing civilians who try to flee Fallujah, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said Sunday (June 5th).

"Reports from families that NRC has been in touch with describe that civilians trying to cross the Euphrates river in order to flee the fighting are being targeted by armed opposition groups," the group said in a statement.

NRC runs the camps in the town of Ameriyat al-Fallujah in which most of the civilians who have fled ISIL-controlled areas are being housed.

"An unidentified number of civilians have been shot and killed trying to cross the river," NRC said.

One of the only ways for civilians to try to leave the centre of Fallujah, which is littered with booby traps and roadside bombs, is to sneak out by river.

"Our biggest fears are now tragically confirmed with civilians being directly targeted while trying to flee to safety," NRC country director Nasr Muflahi said.

"This is the worst that we feared would happen to innocent men, women and children who have had to leave everything behind in order to save their lives," he said.

Most of the 2,511 displaced families who have already reached camps lived in outlying areas and as many as 50,000 civilians are believed to remain in the centre of Fallujah, being used as human shields by ISIL.

Iraq’s Ministry of Migration and Displacement has provided shelter to 2,495 families displaced from their homes in Fallujah and al-Saqlawiya, at camps in Ameriyat al-Fallujah, while 16 families were placed in camps in the tourist city, the ministry said in a statement.

The displaced are being provided with food and health assistance, as well as other supplies, the statement said.