Lack of funds threatening thousands displaced civilians in Iraq: UNHCR

A severe funding gap is jeopardizing the welfare of 85,000 displaced civilians forced to flee Falluja in central Iraq after government troops launched an offensive to recapture the town on May 23, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) warned on Tuesday.

"UNHCR is urgently seeking 17.5 million U.S. dollars to meet the immediate needs of the tens of thousands of civilians pouring out of Iraq's Falluja in recent days," the agency said in a statement.

"We are exhausting available resources in Iraq to deal with the rapid developments in Falluja," it added.

UNHCR indicated additional funding was needed to increase the number of refugee camps and to enhance the urgent provision of aid for displaced people who faced extreme hardship under the Islamic State (IS).

With as many as 60,000 fleeing between June 15 and 18, UNHCR cautioned that current displacement trends were not only harming those most in need but also pushing the agency's funding requirements to the extreme.

Soaring temperatures, the lack of shade and insufficient clean drinking water are hampering the lives of displaced families who have to sleep in overcrowded tents or out in the open.

Funds for 20 extra camps are necessary to house 30,000 people over the coming weeks, the agency indicated, adding that blankets, mattresses and jerry cans were also urgently needed. Endit