Iraq's Growing Refugee Crisis

A displaced Iraqi family outside Fallujah on Friday, after Iraqi government forces evacuated civilians from the city amid the battle against Islamic State militants. PHOTO: MOADH AL-DULAIMI/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES

DW: Refugees in Iraq caught between soldiers and jihadists

Iraqi fighting forces are preparing an attack on Mosul. Thousands of people have fled the city ahead of the expected battle, yet aid organizations expect even larger waves of refugees soon.

They would have either been killed by "Islamic State" (IS) henchmen, or by Iraqi army bombs, so they decided to flee. That is how a young mother who fled Mosul with her children summed up her decision. Thus far, some 100,000 of the city's residents have come to the same conclusion.

Mosul has a population of more than one million, and has been under the control of "IS" for two years. Since the Iraqi army began slowly tightening its containment ring around city in March, ever more residents have decided to flee in an attempt to save themselves from the impending battle. "First people fled from 'IS'. Now they are fleeing from the Iraqi army," a young Iraqi soldier told the Baghdad-based daily newspaper Al Mada.

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Update: Millions driven from Iraq's tormented lands have nothing to return to (CNN).

WNU Editor: As bad as Iraq's refugee crisis is .... when  the assault on Mosul begins, this refugee crisis is going to explode.