GENEVA, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said Friday that 250,000 people living in western parts of the Iraqi city of Mosul could be forced to flee their homes ahead of an anticipated escalation of conflict between Iraqi government forces and Islamic State (IS) combatants.
This would add to the 161,178 men, women and children who have fled the northern city since military operations started in October 2016 to recapture one of the last IS strongholds in the region.
The UN body indicated that along with other agencies and partners, it was "coordinating plans to respond to a potential significant new flight of displaced Iraqis."
UNHCR reported that it was also assisting civilians displaced from Hawiga, located some 130 km southeast of Mosul.
According to estimates, up to 114,000 individuals could be displaced from the town as a result of worsening living conditions and the expected intensified military operations there.
The UN agency warned that those leaving Hawiga faced "grave dangers including ambushes, improvised explosive devices and unexploded ordnance, especially moving across the Hamreen Mountains."
