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GENEVA / FALLUJAH REAX
STORY: GENEVA / FALLUJAH REAX
TRT: 1:12
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 31 MAY 2016, GEVENA, SWITZERLAND
FILE - GEVENA, SWITZERLAND
1. Aerial shot, Palais des Nations
31 MAY 2016, GEVENA, SWITZERLAND
2. Med shot, journalists
3. SOUNDBITE (English) William Spindler, Spokesperson, United Nations High Comission for Refugees (UNHCR):
“The latest information we have is that 3,700 people have fled Falluja over the past week since the new offensive by Iraqi forces to retake the city began last week, according to figures provided by authorities.”
4. Two shot, journalists
5. SOUNDBITE (English) William Spindler, Spokesperson, United Nations High Comission for Refugees (UNHCR):
“Many of these people, about 1,300, are staying in al-Iraq camp in the Falluja district where UNHCR is working. Others are scattered in one of several other government-run camps in the district or are staying with relatives.”
6. Med shot, journalists
7. SOUNDBITE (English) William Spindler, Spokesperson, United Nations High Comission for Refugees (UNHCR):
“Iraqi forces are helping to transport families escaping the city, and have set up a hotline to provide information to people wanting to leave.”
8. Med shot, journalists
9. SOUNDBITE (English) William Spindler, Spokesperson, United Nations High Comission for Refugees (UNHCR):
“UNCHR has received reports of casualties among civilians in the city centre of Falluja due to heavy shelling, including seven members of one family on 28th May. There are also reports of several hundred families being used as human shields by ISIL in the centre of Falluja.”
10. Med shots, journalists
The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said some 3,700 Iraqis have escaped the besieged city of Falluja since the new offensive by government forces to retake the city began last week. UNHCR said it has received reports that hundreds of families still trapped in the city are being used by ISIL militants as human shields.
UNHCR spokesperson William Spindler said about 1,300 of those who have fled the city are staying in the al-Iraq camp in the Amiriyat Sl-Falluja district, Anbar governorate. He said others are scattered in one of several other government-run camps in the district or are staying with relatives. Iraqi forces are helping to transport families escaping the city and have set up a hotline to provide information to people wanting to leave.
Spindler said civilians are paying a heavy price for the fighting.
SOUNDBITE (English) William Spindler, Spokesperson, United Nations High Comission for Refugees (UNHCR):
“UNCHR has received reports of casualties among civilians in the city centre of Falluja due to heavy shelling, including seven members of one family on 28th May. There are also reports of several hundred families being used as human shields by ISIL in the centre of Falluja.”
Between 40,000 and 50,000 civilians still remain trapped in Falluja, prevented from escaping by militants as the city continues to come under heavy bombardment by Iraqi forces. In December, routes out of the city were cut off and civilians were prevented from leaving.
UNHCR and its partner, Muslim Aid, are distributing emergency relief items to families who have escaped the city and are sheltering at Amiriyat al-Falluja. The agency will also open two new camps in coming days in Habbaniyah Tourist City, which will be able to accommodate 500 newly-displaced families.
Falluja is one of two remaining strongholds held by ISIL, the other being Mosul, Iraq’s second city. For the past few weeks, there has been intensified fighting around Falluja and airstrikes by coalition forces as the Iraqi Security Forces advanced towards the city.
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