ReliefWeb

Highlights

• Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) partners reported over a 180 per cent increase from last week in the distribution of RRM kits due to the significant outflow along the Tel Afar-Sahlej route.

• As of 30 April, a total of 489,000 people remain displaced from Mosul, some 419,000 of those individuals from western Mosul city alone, according to the Iraqi authorities. Since the start of operations on 17 October 2016, 580,384 people have been displaced from Mosul.

• Camp construction continues to meet the humanitarian needs of people fleeing western Mosul. As of 30 April, 2,199 fully serviced plots were available for immediate use in nine priority locations, with another 3,313 plots in 10 other camps and sites near Mosul city and surrounding areas.

• On 28 April, 36 Yazidi survivors, including women, men and children, reached Dahuk safely, after they escaped captivity by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) for nearly three years

Situation Overview

Seven months after the start of military operations between the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the number of people displaced from Mosul continues to climb. As of 30 April, a total of 489,000 people are displaced from Mosul, some 419,000 of those individuals from western Mosul city alone, according to the Iraqi authorities. This includes some 5,000 people who fled from Tel Afar, west of Mosul, to Sahlej in the Zummar area northwest of Mosul, before being transported from Zummar to newly accessible areas and camps. Since the start of operations on 17 October 2016, 580,384 people have been displaced from Mosul, according to the Government of Iraq.

Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) partners reported over a 180 per cent increase in the number of distribution undertaken since last week, due to the significant movement of people along the Tel Afar-Sahlej route. Some 113,193 (19,241 families), including 62,256 children, benefitted from the distribution of 20,417 emergency kits.
Since the start of the Mosul Operation, RRM partners have distributed emergency kits to cover the needs of 1,183,727 people, including 651,050 children. As people may have been displaced multiple times, it is possible that some people have been in need of RRM assistance more than once.

As military operations continue, there is a potential for a large outflow of IDPs out of western Mosul along the Syrian Highway. Iraqi authorities have identified a mustering point for displaced people near Badoush, and humanitarian partners are prepared to respond with RRM kits, WASH, Health and Protection services at this location.

Camp construction continues to keep pace with humanitarian needs as the number of people fleeing western Mosul increases, and with expectations of larger outflows. As of 30 April, 2,199 fully serviced plots were available for immediate use in nine priority locations, with another 3,313 plots in 10 other camps and sites near Mosul city and surrounding areas. Some 285,199 people (53,068 families) are currently being sheltered in the 19 camps in close proximity to Mosul city, according to the CCCM cluster. In total, 320,052 people (61,183 families) displaced from Mosul and its surrounding areas are being accommodated in all camps within the Mosul corridor.

As heavy rains have been forecast, there is concern that these rains may potentially affect the bridge crossings over the Tigris River at Qayyarah and Nimrod. Iraqi authorities have assured humanitarian partners that minimising the disruption of services is a priority, and are keeping humanitarian partners informed about any increase in water discharge from the Mosul Dam. Humanitarian partners have been prepared for the possibility that the bridges may close at short notice and have been pre-positioning humanitarian supplies on the western side of the Tigris River as a contingency.

In the last week, some 38,270 individuals (7,654 families) at six camps received dry food rations or Family Food Rations (FFRs), while a total of 14,000 individuals (3,500 families) received cooked meals at Hammam al Alil 2 camp.

Water continues to remain a significant humanitarian concern in Mosul city. In eastern Mosul city water shortages persist and humanitarian partners continue to truck 2.3 million litres of water per day. In Hammam al Alil 1 camp, water is still being provided through water tankering, complemented by bottled water. The Al-Ghazalani water treatment plant has been restored and the rehabilitation for water treatment units at Bartalah and Hamdaniya has begun. Access to safe water for people inside western Mosul city also remains a critical challenge, and health care partners warn of the potential risk of outbreak of water borne diseases.

Providing comprehensive primary health care services to affected people in newly accessible areas remains a priority. Health care partners have identified a possible location near the former Badoush prison for a field hospital which would aid in treating people fleeing westwards from ISIL-held parts of the city. Planning, including assessing medical capacities at the location, is ongoing.

Trauma care also remains a critical concern, especially near front line areas. Since 17 October last year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 8,243 people have been referred to hospitals in Mosul and neighbouring Governorates, with 823 cases reported from western Mosul alone during the period between 5 to 29 April.

On 28 April, 36 Yazidi survivors, including women, men and children, reached Dahuk safely, after they escaped captivity by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) for nearly three years. The Yazidi women and girls were referred to dedicated service points set up by UNFPA, where they were provided with first response assistance. They will be referred for further specialised treatment and comprehensive follow up support services at women’s centres especially established by UNFPA, including medical, psychological, psychiatric, and legal aid.