Deteriorating Humanitarian Situation in Fallujah and Severe Shortages of Water and Food

The Norwegian Refugee Council states that the humanitarian situation in Fallujah is rapidly deteriorating as attacks intensify to retake the city from the Islamic State (ISIS). According to the German news agency, several refugees fleeing from surrounding villages have reported to the Norwegian Refugee Council that Fallujah is under attack from three directions, severely limiting safe routes for citizens to exit the city. The organization claims that since the beginning of June, when the attacks to reclaim Fallujah started, nearly fifty thousand civilians have been trapped in the city, and in recent months only 554 families have managed to escape to surrounding areas. Jan Egeland, the director of the Norwegian Refugee Council, which also oversees the transportation of humanitarian aid from the United Nations, has warned that a "humanitarian catastrophe" is unfolding in Fallujah. He stated that since Fallujah has been under siege for months, trapped civilians lack access to drinking water, food, and medicine. Nasr Moflahi, the director of a branch of this organization in Iraq, reports hearing horrifying news from Fallujah. This humanitarian organization indicates that civilians in Fallujah are caught in the conflict between Iraqi security forces and ISIS militants, with no escape routes available. In the past nine days of intensified attacks, only one family has managed to leave Fallujah. Al Jazeera reported yesterday, June 10, citing residents of the city, that thousands of civilians are "dying of hunger" in Fallujah. One resident told the news network that they are forced to give cow's milk to their infants because the mothers are too hungry to breastfeed. Previously, residents of Fallujah had reported that members of the Islamic State use civilians as human shields to block the advance of Iraqi forces. Fallujah, located in the Sunni-majority Anbar province, was the first city to fall to ISIS in the winter of 2014. After Mosul, it was the second-largest city in Iraq to be captured by this militant group. The Iraqi army has launched a large-scale operation to liberate the city since the beginning of this month, supported by air forces of the coalition against ISIS led by the United States, as well as their ground forces. While news agencies report military advances in Fallujah, AFP states that Iraqi forces will face significant resistance from ISIS in retaking the city, and their advance will be deadly. Despite reports that senior ISIS commanders and foreign leaders of the group have left Fallujah, AFP indicates that retaking the city will not be easy. This news raises concerns among human rights groups about the humanitarian situation in the city. According to the Norwegian Refugee Council, the humanitarian situation in Iraq is dire, with nearly ten million people in need of humanitarian assistance and about 3.4 million displaced in the country.