Thousands of Iraqis Flee ISIS
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iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — The rise of the Islamic State in Iraq has created a new refugee crisis, according to the United Nation’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
It’s estimated that as many as 180,000 people, many of whom were already displaced, have moved away from the western Anbar province city of Hit, which was taken over by ISIS last month.
In desperation, most of the refugees have headed eastward towards Ramadi, which is also under siege.
The U.N. says that Iraqis seeking shelter from violence are in immediate need of food, blankets and medical supplies.
ISIS fighters have been nearly unstoppable in Anbar, a longtime Sunni stronghold where many sympathize with the militant extremist cause that includes strict Islamic law.
The Iraqi government is concerned that if ISIS become firmly established in Anbar, it will give the group easier access to attacks on Baghdad.
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