HRW calls for aid to Iraq’s ‘starving’ Fallujah

Human Rights Watch called Thursday for Iraq to allow aid to reach starving residents of the city of Fallujah, and for ISIS to allow civilians to leave.

“The people of Fallujah are besieged by the government, trapped by (ISIS), and are starving,” HRW’s deputy Middle East director, Joe Stork, said in a statement.

“The warring parties should make sure that aid reaches the civilian population.”

HRW cited Iraqi activists who are in contact with Fallujah residents as saying that people “were reduced to eating flat bread made with flour from ground date seeds and soups made from grass.”

Anti-government fighters took control of Fallujah, just 50 kilometers (30 miles) west of Baghdad, in early 2014 during unrest that broke out after security forces demolished a protest camp farther west, and it later became an ISIS stronghold.

ISIS seized more territory in surrounding Anbar province after launching an offensive later that year, but pro-government forces have since regained significant ground from the militants.

Iraqi forces have largely cut off access to Fallujah, while ISIS is preventing residents from leaving the city.

Tribesmen battled ISIS in Fallujah for several days in February in a sign that its grip was weakening, but the fighting ended after the militants detained dozens of residents.

ISIS has also announced the execution of alleged “spies” in the city.