Iraq’s Kurdistan facing refugee surge

Iraq’s Kurdistan region is grappling with an influx of refugees fleeing the ISIL violence both in nearby areas and in Syria, Press TV reports.

Latest figures show that some 850,000 have fled from nearby violence-wracked towns to Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region in recent months.

In addition, ISIL-led violence in neighboring Syria has forced 216,000 people to seek refuge in the Kurdish region.

Local officials say 335,000 refugees were present in the region prior to 2014.

Meanwhile, the United Nations says the number of displaced Iraqis is rising at an alarming rate over the bloody militancy led by the ISIL Takfiri militants.

The World Food Program says it has for the first time in several months resumed delivering food assistance to at least 76,000 people in western Iraq.

The UN body also says the targeted people were part of a massive displacement of families fighting the ISIL violence in the country.

Aid agencies have already warned that the humanitarian situation in Iraq continues to deteriorate because of fighting there.

Throughout the country, at least 1.8 million people have been displaced, many without access to food, water or other basic needs.

In a separate development, Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces have regained control of several areas, pushing back the ISIL militants from their positions in Nineveh Province.

Peshmerga officials say a number of the ISIL militants have been killed in the attack and others are retreating from their positions.

The ISIL terrorists have committed heinous crimes and threatened all communities, including Shias, Sunnis, Kurds, Christians and Izadi Kurds, during their advances in Iraq.

Senior Iraqi officials have blamed Saudi Arabia, Qatar and some Persian Gulf Arab states for the growing terrorism in their country.

JR/AB/SS