The Iraqi army has secured the first safe exit route for civilians to escape the Islamic State group’s stronghold of Fallujah in Iraq, and a Norwegian aid group says thousands of people have already used it to flee.
(ABC)- Iraqi security forces launched a major operation last month to recapture the militants’ bastion of Fallujah, an hour’s drive from Baghdad, but Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said troops were delaying advances to protect civilians.
Tens of thousands of people have been trapped in Fallujah since it was captured by the Islamic State (IS) group, threatened with death by the militants if they fled.
Those who managed to escape said they walked for days to avoid sniper fire and explosive devices planted by the IS group.
Aid agencies on the ground said they were completely overwhelmed by the numbers of people fleeing, and urgent deliveries of supplies were needed to cope with the influx.
The United Nations fears for the fate of up to 90,000 people believed trapped inside Fallujah with little food or water.
The new exit route, known as al-Salam (Peace) Junction, was secured south-west of Fallujah on Saturday (local time), said Joint Operation Command spokesman Brigadier-General Yahya Rasool.
“There were exit routes previously, but this is the first to be completely secured, and it’s relatively safe,” the Brigadier-General said.
About 4,000 people had fled the city over the past 24 hours through the al-Salam Junction, said Karl Schembri, a spokesman in Iraq for the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), which has been assisting people who escape the city.