Child escaping IS with father killed by IED

Child escaping IS with father killed by IED

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – On Saturday, a father and his daughter escaped from the Islamic State (IS) in the south of Mosul, Iraq toward a Peshmerga front line, but an IED killed the child.

Many civilians escape from the IS-controlled areas inside and around Mosul on a daily basis. Especially recently as the Iraqi security forces make preparations for the offensive to liberate the city.

The spokesperson of media for Makhmour front line Ahmad Anwar told Kurdistan24 that after the Iraqi army liberation the village of Osaja in southern Mosul, jihadists have started to shell the village via mortars.

“A father along with his 10-year-old daughter left the village and moved toward the Peshmerga front line, aiming to reach a safe and secure area,” Anwar said.

“At that time, IS was heavily bombarding inside and around the village. The daughter stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by IS and died after her father left her alone,” he added.

Peshmerga commanders previously told Kurdistan24 that civilians often escape from IS and walk for hours to reach front lines where some die from dehydration.

On June 27, Kurdistan24 reported that a family who tried to escape IS in the town of al-Shirqat, southeastern Mosul, died from dehydration before reaching a Peshmerga front line.

Recently, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Joint Crisis Coordination Center explained that they expect to receive 500,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Mosul to the Region as the offensive in the city begins.

The Kurdistan Region is home to nearly two million refugees and IDPs who fled from other parts of Iraq due to the threat of IS.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany