Children must be given immediate safe passage out of Mosul to stop them being caught in the crossfire, Save the Children organization warned in a statement.

As Iraqi forces close in on Daesh-held Mosul, it is a critical moment to protect children and open safe routes to allow the 1.5 million civilians, including about 600,000 children, still trapped in the city to leave safely.

Save the Children’s Iraq Country Director Maurizio Crivellaro said innocent civilians face growing risks each day they remain in Mosul. 

“As fighting escalates, it is only going to become increasingly difficult for families to leave, and for those who remain and are injured to get the medical treatment they need. We cannot sit back and wait for another situation like Aleppo to unfold, whilst there is still the opportunity to get children out of the warzone.”

Fears are mounting for families trapped in the city amid reports of civilians being rounded up as targets, with Daesh placing them in the line of fire ahead of the imminent onslaught. 

A growing number of hospitals and schools are believed to be occupied by Daesh fighters, and concerns are growing that they will be targeted by military forces in the coming days.

“Protecting innocent civilians must be the priority in this battle. Reports that Daesh has kidnapped people from villages nearby Mosul city shows they intend to make this fight as difficult as possible by hiding in a city full of civilians,” said Maurizio Crivellaro.

“Iraqi forces must ensure that families are given genuinely safe passages out of the city to avoid mass casualties of innocent civilians who will be caught in the crossfire and beyond the reach of humanitarian aid.

“Military commanders have previously suggested vulnerable families stay inside and put white flags on their homes. This risks making them targets.

“The recent commitment of the Iraqi Prime Minister to establish safe corridors is reassuring – we need to see this prioritised and it should happen as soon as possible.”

Source: MENA