30,000 civilians trapped by fighting in Tal Afar,Iraq

In Iraq, some 30,000 civilians are trapped in fighting in Tal Afar. The Iraqi forces are working to take back the town of Tal Afar from the Islamic State terror group. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres's spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters that the UN's refugee agency (UNHCR) fears that Iraqi civilians could be used as human shields and attempts by citizen to flee could result in executions



and shootings.

UNHCR has called on all parties in the conflict to allow civilians to leave the conflict area and to allow access to safety. Iraqi forces recaptured from the Islamic State group the first three districts of Tal Afar yesterday. The forces are backed by a US-led international coalition carrying out a campaign of air strikes against IS.