GENEVA / IRAQ REFUGEES

As the Iraqi government continues its military offensive to re-take control of Falluja, more than 800 people have fled the besieged city. Emergency relief supplies have been delivered by the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, to families who have managed to escape over the last few days. UNTV CH

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:18
• Production Date: 27 May 2016
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: MELISSA FLEMING
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES - UNHCR
• Subject Topical: REFUGEES
• Geographic Subject: IRAQ
• MAMS Id: 1631553
• Parent Id: 1631553
• Alternate Title: unifeed160527c

Description

STORY: GENEVA / IRAQ REFUGEES
TRT: 02:19
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 27 MAY 2016, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Shotlist

RECENT, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. Aerial shot, Palais des Nations

27 MAY 2016, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Melissa Fleming, Chief Spokesperson, UNHCR:
“Only about 800 people have managed to flee so far, mostly from the outlying areas. As you know, the government is conducting an offensive to try to take control of the city. As you also probably recall, Falluja was the first city to be taken by ISIL in January 2014. Just to note, that since that period, more than 3.2 million people have been displaced across Iraq.”
3. Med shot, journalists
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Melissa Fleming, Chief Spokesperson, UNHCR:
“Back to Falluja, some 50,000 civilians still remain trapped inside Falluja, and they are prevented from escaping by ISIL as the city continues to come under heavy bombardment by Iraqi forces.”
5. Med shot, journalists
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Melissa Fleming, Chief Spokesperson, UNHCR:
“Food has been in very short supply. We’re hearing accounts that people are relying on expired rice and dried dates and that’s about it for their diet. We have also heard reports of starvation-related deaths among the population there, and this is from the people who we have interviewed or our partners have interviewed who have escaped.”
7. Med shot, journalists
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Melissa Fleming, Chief Spokesperson, UNHCR:
“Escaping is also harrowing, according to the families that we’ve been talking to. They tell us that they have to travel on foot for hours at night, moving across fields and hiding in discussed irrigation pipes. And also people have lost their lives trying to leave the city, including women and children.”
9. Med shots, journalists
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Melissa Fleming, Chief Spokesperson, UNHCR:
“Inside Falluja, we have dramatic reports of an increase in the number of executions of men and older boys refusing to fight on behalf of ISIL. Other reports say a number of people attempting to depart have been executed or whipped; one man’s leg was amputated, reportedly.”
11. Med shot, journalists

Storyline

Today (27 May), emergency relief supplies have been delivered by the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, to families who have managed to escape the besieged Iraqi city of Falluja over the last few days.

More than 800 people have fled Falluja, mostly from outlying areas, as the government continues its military offensive to re-take control of the city, around 60 kilometres west of the capital, Baghdad. Falluja was the first city to be taken by extremist groups in January 2014. Since then, more than 3.2 million people have been displaced across Iraq.

Some 50,000 civilians still remain trapped inside Falluja, prevented from escaping by ISIL as the city continues to come under heavy bombardment by Iraqi forces. In December, routes out of the city were cut off and civilians prevented from leaving.

Melissa Fleming, Chief Spokesperson, UNHCR, said that food in Falluja is in very short supply: “we’re hearing accounts that people are relying on expired rice and dried dates and that’s about it for their diet. We have also heard reports of starvation-related deaths among the population there, and this is from the people who we have interviewed or our partners have interviewed who have escaped.”

UNHCR says that escaping is also harrowing, according to the families that the agency has spoken to. The families have told of travelling on foot for hours at night, moving across fields and hiding in discussed irrigation pipes. People have lost their lives trying to leave the city, including women and children. The number of families who’ve escaped, however, is still very small, given the tens of thousands of people still trapped in Falluja.

Inside Falluja, there have been reports of a dramatic increase in the number of executions of men and older boys in Falluja refusing to fight on behalf of ISIL. Other reports say a number of people attempting to depart have been executed or whipped; and one man’s leg was reportedly amputated. In addition, many people are reported to have been killed or buried alive under the rubble of their homes in the course of ongoing military operations.

UNHCR says that it is vital that safe routes are opened, allowing civilians access to safety and life-saving assistance. UNHCR and its partners have already built extra shelters ready to assist newly-displaced families and will distribute emergency supplies to provide them with some essential daily items.