BAGHDAD
The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) is trying to maintain a secure passage for transporting humanitarian aid to civilians facing food and water shortages in Iraq’s western Anbar province amid ongoing clashes, an official said on Wednesday.
“There is a critical humanitarian situation in Anbar province which is likely to worsen as operations continue,” UN Iraq Special Delegate Nikolay Mladenov said in a written statement. “Nearly five thousand families fled from the conflict in Anbar and sought refuge in nearby cities.”
Crime and unrest have escalated in the province since protests against Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki began and opposition parliament member Almad Al Alwani was arrested in December.
Clashes between the Iraqi military forces and the militant group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) continue in Anbar.
An estimated 12,000 families are believed to have been displaced because of the clashes in Anbar, including 13,000 people who fled to the northern Iraq region.
Underlining the importance of a secure passage, Mladenov said the UN agencies are working to specify the needs of civilians in Anbar.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
