UN: 700,000 displaced Iraqis in Kurdistan

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) announced on Friday that Iraq’s Kurdistan region has received 700,000 displaced Iraqis who were forced to leave their homes to escape the advance of ISIS fighters.

According to the spokesperson of UNHCR, Adrian Edwards, most of the displaced arrived in Kurdistan since the beginning of June.

The UNHCR said its humanitarian operations are ongoing to help the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis who fled the advance of extremist fighters.

In the next ten days, the UNHCR is hoping to distribute 2400 tons of aid, a statement said.

“Barring delays, the stepped up air, road and sea operation will start with a four-day airlift using Boeing 747s from Aqaba in Jordan to Erbil, followed by road convoys from Turkey and Jordan, and sea and land shipments from Dubai via Iran over the next 10 days. Included in the initial aid shipments are 3,300 tents, 20,000 plastic sheets, 18,500 kitchen sets, and 16,500 jerry cans,” a statement by the UNHCR said.

According to the UN agency, at least 1.2 million Iraqis have been displaced in the recent unrest.