ERBIL, Iraq
5,000 people are being evacuated on Thursday from Hazer refugee camp in Iraq's Erbil city to be relocated in safer regions as armed groups led by Islamic State, IS, draws closer to the city.
Officials from the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) said they are preparing for the evacuation of the refugees who are taking shelter in the camp located 50 kilometers away from the autonomous region's capital.
Hazer camp - which was built jointly by Erbil Governorate and the United Nations some 20 kilometers from Mosul's Al-Hamdaniya district - has been home to thousands of Iraqi people including Turkmen, Kurds and Arabs who fled Mosul after its seizure by militants spearheaded by IS in early June.
Since the refugee camp will remain closed due to the impending IS threat, the head of the Turkish Red Crescent Ahmet Lutfi Akar was forced to cancel his visit to the camp scheduled for Thursday.
Militants 45 kilometers close to Erbil
IS militants have reportedly taken control of Mosul's Bartella town on Thursday. After the fall of the town, it is now only 45 kilometers for the militants to reach Erbil.
Additionally, Mosul's Kurdish-populated Makhmur town, 67 kilometers south of Erbil, is witnessing a heightened military activity with a threat from IS at the door of the Kurdish capital. The residents of the town fled northeast to Erbil early on Thursday.
KRG have deployed thousands of Peshmerga troops in the town after IS seized Gawar district - some 20 kilometers from Erbil.
AA correspondent in Erbil reports that some residents of the town have also taken up arms to support Peshmerga forces against the IS militants.
Late Wednesday, Peshmergas managed to repel the militants and defend the town, said Ferit Mugdat, colonel of the Peshmerga forces who added that the clashes took place at around 19:00 local time.
Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani urged the public to be calm in a statement released after the attack on Wednesday.
Armed groups linked to IS captured the Peshmerga-controlled towns of Sinjar and Rabia in Mosul on Sunday after fierce clashes, forcing thousands of Iraqis - including Turkmen, Arabs and Ezidis - to flee to Erbil and Duhok cities in the north to escape the militant attacks.
Around one million civilians have been displaced so far amid the ongoing clashes in the country.
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