1.200 million civilians displaced since start of Mosul campaign: officials
Displaced Iraqi children wait for food trucks at a newly constructed United Nations refugee camp.
Nineveh council member Hassan al-Allaf said concerned agencies within the migration ministry and other bodies had recorded 600.000 civilians at refugee camps, in addition to another estimated 600.000 who sought refuge with relatives or settled in rented lodgings.
According to Allaf, there are nearly 150.000 people who are stranded at Islamic State-held areas in western Mosul and at Baaj and Qayrawan near the borders with Syria. Those, he said, are denied food and water, and are being used by the group as human shields.
Allaf said 300.000 civilians were repatriated to their home districts in eastern Mosul.
Iraqi government forces, backed by paramilitary troops and a U.S.-led coalition, launched an offensive mid October to retake Mosul from Islamic State fighters who held the city since mid 2014. The campaign managed to retake the eastern side of the city last January and a few districts remain to take over the western side.
The United Nations, upon the launch of the campaign, predicted at least 1.5 million refugees.
Refugees have reportedly been suffering acute foodstuff and medical stuff shortages both at camps and at IS-held areas.