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Desperate humanitarian situation for about 750,000 civilians in western Mosul

Countries
Iraq
Sources
OCHA
Publication date

Highlights

• Since military operations in western Mosul began on 19 February, approximately 8,000 people have fled from western Mosul and its surrounding villages to locations south of Mosul city. People arriving at these locations are often exhausted and dehydrated. Emergency kits of food and water have been distributed to 8,800 people in camps and emergency sites, in addition to distributions to displaced people moving to these locations.

• Humanitarian partners are expanding site capacity in Hammam al Alil, Qayyarah and Hajj Ali, and supporting government efforts to expand displacement sites in Jad’ah and Al Salamiyah through site development.

• Initial trauma casualty rates from western Mosul are high, with over 75 civilians treated at trauma stabilization points near front line areas. From 17 October 2016 to 22 February 2017, over 1,776 wounded civilians have been sent to Erbil’s main hospitals to receive trauma care. Between 8 January and 22 February, the field surgical hospital in Bartalah treated 618 civilians for trauma injuries.

• Significant shortages of drinking water remain a major humanitarian concern in eastern Mosul city. Civilians in many neighbourhoods in the southern and western parts of western Mosul city also have no access to the public network and are potentially accessing untreated drinking water. The reestablishment of a functioning city-wide water network is a key priority.

Situation Overview

Military operations in western Mosul were launched on 19 February. As the operation has entered more densely populated areas, such as Abu Saif village and Al Kuwait, Ma’mun, Al Tayaran and Wadi Hajar neighbourhoods, greater numbers of people have been displaced. Since the operation began, approximately 8,000 people have fled from western Mosul and its surrounding villages to locations south, primarily to Hammam al Alil town, Jad’ah camp and the Hajj Ali and Qayyarah Airstrip emergency sites. People arriving at these locations are often exhausted and dehydrated. Emergency packages of food, water and hygiene supplies have been distributed to 8,800 people in camps and emergency sites, in addition to emergency packages distributed to displaced people moving to these locations.

The humanitarian situation is desperate for an estimated 750,000 civilians who remain in western Mosul. Since November, western Mosul has been cut off from its supply routes, in particular the highway from Mosul into Syria.

Remote assessments and reports from newly displaced people indicate the shortage of food, water, petroleum, medical supplies, and the unavailability of infant formula. Clean drinking water is also in very short supply in western Mosul, with only some neighbourhoods in the north and northeast of western Mosul city receiving water through the public network for several hours every few days. Prices of basic staple foods, such as sugar and potatoes, have reportedly more than doubled.
An estimated 250,000 people could flee the fighting in the west of the city. Given the narrow streets and high population density in western Mosul city, particularly in the Old Town area, civilians are at great risk of being caught in crossfire and other forms of insecurity, and infrastructure could sustain damage. Efforts are being made by humanitarian partners to accelerate and expand shelter capacity in Hammam al Alil, Qayyarah and Hajj Ali, and to support government efforts to expand displacement sites in Jad’ah and Al Salamiyah through site development.

Humanitarian partners have prepositioned stocks to assist newly displaced people, including 41,700 tents, 49,000 kits of basic household items, and 77,000 emergency shelter kits, consisting of plastic sheeting, ropes, and pegs.

Emergency response kits to cover the emergency food and water needs of 120,000 newly displaced people have been prepositioned in locations where they will likely be needed. Some 100,000 emergency response kits, to assist 600,000 people, are available in total.

Once the operating environment is conducive, humanitarian access missions will be conducted in newly retaken areas by OCHA, UN security and UN demining teams. These access missions will then inform the rapid distribution of emergency kits of water and food to people remaining in western Mosul. Once people arrive at camps and emergency sites, this assistance will be followed up with complementary humanitarian aid, such as one-month food rations, tents and basic household supplies.
According to IOM’s displacement tracking matrix (DTM), since fighting began on 17 October 2016, more than 223,980 people have been displaced from the eastern sections of Mosul and surrounding areas, with 62,250 people having returned to their areas of origin, primarily to eastern Mosul city. On 26 February, 163,896 people were living in displacement. This is an increase of approximately 4,000 people in the last week, but does not include all of the people who have been displaced in the last two days from western Mosul. A DTM update including new displacements from western Mosul is expected to be released on 28 February.

Initial trauma casualty rates from western Mosul are high, with over 75 civilians treated at trauma stabilization points near front line areas. From 17 October 2016 to 22 February 2017, over 1,776 wounded civilians have been sent to Erbil’s main hospitals to receive trauma care. Between 8 January and 22 February, the 50-bed type II field surgical hospital in Bartalah treated 618 civilians for trauma injuries.

Significant shortages of drinking water remain a priority humanitarian concern in eastern Mosul city. UNICEF has procured and will soon install a new 1.6MW generator at the Al Sahroon water treatment plant (WTP) in eastern Mosul city, which was hit by indirect fire on 19 February rendering the plant inoperable. The Al Sahroon water treatment plant (WTP) was the only operating water treatment facility in eastern Mosul city, and provided piped water to 70,000 residents and tankered water to 12 neighbourhoods. Civilians in many neighbourhoods in the southern and western parts of western Mosul city also have no access to the public network and are potentially accessing untreated drinking water. The re-establishment of a functioning city-wide water network is a key priority.

According to the government’s Joint Coordination and Monitoring Centre (JCMC), between 4 - 8 February the Ministry of Trade distributed 3,740 bags of sugar and 2,000 bags of rice through the public distribution system in newly accessible areas. Between 15 - 19 February, the Ministry of Migration and Displacement (MoDM) distributed food and non-food items to IDPs in Khazer, Hasansham, Jad’ah, and Debaga camps, and the Qayyarah Airstrip and Haj-Ali emergency sites, including 4,000 dry food parcels, 1,100 emergency food parcels, and 6,400 blankets. Between 26 January and 2 February, the Ministry of Health and Environment vaccinated 17,395 children under-5 against polio and measles.

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