20K Children Trapped In Fallujah City Of Iraq: UN

United Nations Children’s agency said Wednesday about 20,000 children are trapped in Iraqi’s city Fallujah, about forty miles west of capital Baghdad, while the government forces are trying to take control of it from Islamic State militant.

UNICEF added food, water, medicine and clean water as well are running out.

Fallujah was taken control by the ISIS in 2014.

The coalition-backed Iraqi troops launched a military operation for about a week to retake control of the city, but very few families have been able to escape.

According to Peter Hawkins, Iraq representative of UNICEF, most of the families have been moved to camps and many have taken refuge with relatives and extended families.

Hawkins added safe passage should be given for those families who wish to leave Fallujah.

He further said, “As the violence continues to escalate in Fallujah and across Iraq, we are concerned over the protection of children in the face of extreme and rising danger.”

It is usual children face risk of forced recruitment into the combat. The UN too has raised similar concerns that the ISIS are using families as human shields.

Fellujah is in western part of Iraq and last major urban area in the region that is under the control of Islamic State militant.