Up to 1 mln people could flee military operations in Mosul: UN agencies

While the situation in the Iraqi city of Mosul remains unpredictable, UN aid agencies warned Tuesday that up to 1 million people may be forced to flee Islamic-State's (IS) last stronghold because of fighting.

As in previous battles that freed the cities of Tikrit, Ramadi, Fallujah and others from IS militants, Iraqi forces are moving to gradually encircle the city which lies 400 km north of Baghdad after clearing militants from towns and villages around it before entering Mosul's districts.

In light of the situation, aid officials reminded that the fate of civilians needs to be closely monitored amid warnings that those trapped in the city could be used as human shields by IS fighters.

International Organization for Migration's (IOM) chief of mission in Iraq, Thomas Weiss, said there have been reports of chemical weapons being used by IS, resulting in a limited number of gas masks being supplied.

According to estimates, some 200,000 people could be forced to flee their homes in the first weeks of the long-awaited military campaign launched on Oct. 17 by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

Supported by Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, Iraqi fighters are also backed by international aircraft as well as different kinds of Iraqi and U.S.-led coalition artillery units.

According to reports, more than 5,000 IS militants are holed up in Mosul with significant preparations to defend the city.

Preparations by aid agencies have been ongoing for months, though much more needs to be done to cater to the needs of all those who may potentially be displaced.

"The world is watching, prove your humanity, no matter what side you are on," Robert Mardini, the International Committee of the Red Cross' regional director for the Middle East, said. Endit