UN Opens Two New Refugee Camps as More Iraqis Flee Fighting in Mosul

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)opened two more camps for thousands of Iraqis forced to flee the city of Mosul, while three of the six UNHCR-operated camps were already full, according to agency spokesman Matthew Saltmarsh.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has opened new camps to accommodate tens of thousands of Iraqis forced to flee the city of Mosul, agency spokesman Matthew Saltmarsh said on Friday.

"In the past week, UNHCR has opened Al Alam [camp], in Tikrit, which is hosting 180 Iraqis, with more expected," Saltmarsh told reporters. "Amalla camp, near Telafar, is set to open next week."

The spokesman explained that three of the six UNHCR-operated camps were already full.

More than 73,000 Iraqis have been displaced in a month since the start of the operation to recapture Mosul from the Daesh, according to the International Organization for Migration.

The UNHCR expects to provide assistance for 1.2 million Iraqi refugees during the coming winter months, and has begun construction of an additional three camps with a fourth in the planning stage, Saltmarsh said.

On October 17, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi launched the operation to retake Mosul from the Islamic State. The operation began with 4,000 Peshmerga fighters and 30,000 Iraqi soldiers backed by the US-led coalition.