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Iraq: Mosul Humanitarian Response Situation Report No. 20 (6 February - 12 February 2017) [EN/AR/KU]

Countries
Iraq
Sources
OCHA
Publication date

Highlights

• As of 12 February, 152,448 individuals are currently displaced as a result of on-going fighting. Between 6 February and 12 February, the net number of people displaced reduced by 10,000 people. In total, since 17 October 2016, nearly 200,000 people have been displaced, of whom some 46,200 have returned to their places of origin.

• Significant shortages of drinking water remain a primary humanitarian concern in eastern Mosul city. Humanitarian partners are currently trucking 2,300 m³ of water per day.
The recently reactivated Al Sahroon water treatment plant (WTP) is now providing water to 70,000 residents in surrounding neighbourhoods.

• Trauma casualty rates remain high near frontline areas. From 17 October 2016 to 28 January 2017, over 1,678 wounded civilians have been sent to Erbil’s main hospitals to receive trauma care. Between 8 January and 4 February, the 50-bed type II field surgical hospital in Bartalah treated 369 civilians for trauma injuries.

Situation Overview

Humanitarian access in newly accessible areas of eastern Mosul city was affected during the week, as a number of security incidents impacted humanitarian partners, leading to a reduction of humanitarian activities. The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant’s (ISIL) use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to deliver ordnance resulted in several aid workers receiving light injuries. An ISIL suicide attack on a restaurant in eastern Mosul city’s Zuhoor neighbourhood, which resulted in a high number of casualties, also caused some humanitarian partners to review their security assessments and adopt a more risk-averse approach. On 12 February, the UN put all missions to eastern Mosul city temporarily on hold until further security risk assessments can be undertaken.

Significant returns from Khazer and Hasansham camps to eastern Mosul city continued over the first half of last week, with returns placed on hold by camp management in the latter half of the week due to security incidents in eastern Mosul city. New displacement also continued, primarily due to insecurity in eastern Mosul city. On 12 February some 152,448 people were living in displacement, a net reduction of nearly 10,000 people over the last week.

As almost all areas in eastern Mosul city are held by Iraqi Security Forces, until late last week people were able to move relatively freely to access nearby markets and purchase food. Reports indicate however that food security issues in eastern Mosul city stem primarily from the unaffordability of food supplies, exacerbated by limited livelihood opportunities. Food stuffs are available in local markets, with supply chains regularly replenishing items.

Food is also reportedly available in western Mosul city markets, but the availability of commercial supplies is growing smaller, as supply routes to this part of the city have been cut since the beginning of November. Fresh food stuffs such as vegetables, meat and fish are most greatly impacted. Prices of some food stuffs have reportedly doubled in some cases, likely placing significant strain on particularly vulnerable families.

Significant shortages of drinking water remain one of the primary humanitarian concerns in eastern Mosul city. Humanitarian partners are currently trucking an average of 2,300m³ of water per day to 30 neighbourhoods, nearly half of eastern Mosul city. However, this remains only a stop gap measure until the water network is fully operational. The recently reactivated Al Sahroon water treatment plant (WTP) is now connected to the public network and has begun providing 70,000 residents in surrounding neighbourhoods with piped water at a rate of 2,000 m³ per hour. In western Mosul city, some parts of the city reportedly receive safe drinking water through the public network, but this water is only available for several hours every few days. According to reports, people in neighbourhoods in the southern and western areas of western Mosul city have no access to the public network however, and are potentially accessing unsafe drinking water.

Trauma casualty rates remain high near frontline areas, with many trauma cases requiring referral from eastern Mosul city to Erbil city. From 17 October 2016 to 28 January 2017, over 1,678 wounded civilians have been sent to Erbil’s main hospitals to receive trauma care. Between 8 January and 4 February, the 50-bed type II field surgical hospital in Bartalah treated 369 civilians for trauma injuries.

There remains no humanitarian access to western Mosul city and the corridor to Tal Afar, which is under ISIL control, and there are increasing humanitarian concerns for the wellbeing of civilians in these areas. For more than two months, major commercial supply routes into western Mosul city have been cut. Partners are planning for different humanitarian scenarios when fighting moves to western parts of the city, including for situations of mass displacement and for the delivery of aid to people who shelter in place.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.