Iraq: thousands flee shelling in northern border areas
04-10-2011 News Release 11/206
Erbil (ICRC) – Some 600 people internally displaced in northern Iraq received humanitarian assistance from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) yesterday.
They are among thousands who have had to leave their homes owing to the shelling that has been taking place in the area over the past three months.
"The food and hygiene items provided are intended to cover their needs for a month," said Béatrice Oechsli, head of the ICRC sub-delegation in Erbil. "The ICRC will continue to closely monitor the situation, and stands ready to provide further assistance if needed."
The displaced people, from seven villages in the Kurdistan region, have arrived in Bozan (Soran district) over the past few weeks. Having left most of their belongings behind, they are now living under tents, with limited access to drinking water and no electricity.
The ICRC has provided humanitarian assistance for more than 2,500 people driven from their homes since the shelling began in July.
For further information, please contact:
For media requests in Arabic, ICRC Iraq, tel: +962 777 399 614
For media requests in Kurdish, ICRC Iraq, tel: +964 750 445 48 79