Tens of thousands of civilians in parts of Mosul held by Islamic State are struggling to get food, water and medicine, the United Nations said, days into a new push by US-backed Iraqi government troops to take the northern city. Up to 200,000 people still live behind Islamic State lines in Mosul’s Old City and three other districts, UN Humanitarian Coordinator Lise Grande told Reuters late on Sunday. “The fighting is extremely intense … the presence of civilians means we have to be very cautious,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity. People who had managed to get out of the militant areas “report a dramatic situation including lack of food, limited water and severe shortages of medicines,” Grande said by phone. The latest Iraqi government push is part of a broader offensive in Mosul, now in its eighth month.

Source: Egypt Independent May 29, 2017 12:56 UTC