One in four Iraqis needs urgent assistance: UN official

The UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Iraq Jan Kubis said Wednesday that at least 8.2 million people, or roughly one in four Iraqis, need urgent assistance, of whom half need food assistance.

While briefing the Security Council Wednesday morning on the work of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Kubis said that the humanitarian situation in Iraq is of the gravest concern.

"More than three million people are internally displaced and ( UN) partners estimate that a nearly a million more are likely to be displaced by continuing conflict and violence in the months ahead," said Kubis.

Kubis of Slovakia was appointed by UN Secretary-General as his Special Representative for Iraq and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) in February 2015.

"Since last summer's onslaught by Da'esh (Islamic State), Iraq has been living through one of the most difficult phases in its modern history," said Kubis. According to Kubis, one year after the fall of Mosul, a third of Iraq remains under the control and governance of Da'esh and that the human cost of the conflict remains far too high.

UNAMI continues to receive widespread reports of attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, extrajudicial killings, abductions, rape and other forms of sexual violence, and forced recruitment of children, among other human rights violations.

Kubis hoped that the Security Council's decision later this month on UNAMI's mandate will provide a "clear guidance" and will establish a re-focused political framework for the UN work in Iraq.

"With the continued support of the council, I remain confident that we can and we will work hand-in-hand with the government of Iraq, political forces and civil society to achieve results in all areas," said Kubis.

UNAMI is a political mission established by the UN Security Council in 2003 at the request of the Government of Iraq. It has been on the ground ever since. Endite