Mosul’s displaced are malnourished and weak

Iraqis who have escaped the fighting in western Mosul are being forced to live on grass and dirty water.

Tens of thousands of internally displaced Iraqis are suffering from hunger and malnutrition as a spike in food prices leaves them unable to afford basic commodities, locals have said.

A kilogramme of grass now costs $10 while a litre of dirty water is being sold for $5.

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They warned that the humanitarian situation, especially for the elderly and children, is deteriorating where “there is no food, water or the most basic services necessary for their survival”.

The refugees have lost an alarming amount of weight, some as much as 20-25 kilogrammes, with large number now unable to move or speak due to malnutrition, severe hunger and thirst, the Anadolu Agency reported.

The news agency said it witnessed dozens of bodies of men, women and children lying on the roads during their journey.

The Iraqi army is waging a war on Daesh in Mosul with the help of a US-led coalition.