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| [PHOTO: Waiting For The Word/Flickr/CC BY 2.0] |
Geneva/Baghdad: The UN refugee agency has reported that up to 10,000 people
from the predominantly Christian communities of Qaraqosh have fled their homes
after mortar rounds landed near their ancient town earlier this week.
Briefing journalists in Geneva, Melis
sa Fleming,
spokesperson for the High Commissioner for Refugees said: "They fled by
bus, car and taxi into Iraq's northern Kurdistan region on Wednesday night.
Many are women and children staying with families, relatives and in schools and
community centres, mostly in Erbil. They tell us they fled in a big rush, and
didn't bring many belongings with them so that is a sign of how afraid they
are."
Qaraqosh is an historic Assyrian town of 50,000 people,
located approximately 30 kilometres south-east of Iraq's second largest city,
Mosul, where armed opposition groups seized control two weeks ago. It is also
known as Bakhdida (or Al-Hamdaniya).
On Thursday night, UNHCR – supported by dozens of local
volunteers who brought their own trucks for transport – distributed quilts and
mattresses, plastic sheeting and hygiene kits at schools and community centres
where the displaced are sheltering. Already, some 300,000 Iraqis from Mosul's
Ninewa governorate and elsewhere have arrived in the Kurdistan region.
This latest influx will place further pressure on resources
there, particularly housing and fuel supplies. Conditions for these new
arrivals will be challenging. In one school visited by UNHCR field staff, there
are already 700 people and more expected.
They have no access to showers and there is no air
conditioning. They are living in classrooms where daytime temperatures exceed
40 degrees Celsius. Thus far, food is being supplied by local charities and
international aid organizations. Many of the displaced are concerned about the
lack of medical care.
So far this year, an estimated 1.2 million Iraqis have been
displaced by fighting, including from Anbar and Ninewa governorates. UNHCR has
revised its funding requirements as part of the 2014 Strategic Response Plan,
and is now seeking US$64.2 million dollars for its shelter and protection
activities (as part of the broader US$312 million appeal launched this earlier
this week.) To date, that appeal is only 8 per cent funded.