The violence has triggered a sharp increase in the rate of displacement towards emergency camps primarily in areas south and east of the city. With new arrivals of civilians fleeing violence in Mosul, the Qayyarah Airstrip Emergency Site alone hosts nearly 50 000 people in almost 10 000 tents – making it one of the largest camps sheltering displaced Iraqis fleeing the conflict.

With support from the EU Humanitarian Aid, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) oversees the management of the Airstrip camp where vulnerable Iraqis have found access to shelter and safety.
Sitting down to rest outside her tent, Firja’s weathered hands and face told of difficult village life made even harder by the conflict.

“Survival in the village became even harder after the start of fighting in October,” she said, describing the struggle she and her family faced in accessing scarce food and goods.

Supply routes to areas under IS control were cut off in the period before military operations began, while on the inside, reports emerged of militants cracking down on communications and confiscating supplies from civilians, resulting in an even more desperate situation for vulnerable families.

“We were lucky because we had livestock and we survived on milk, yogurt, and a bit of bread that we baked at home,” explained.

Lacking contact with the world outside their village for over four months, Freja said she and her family were shocked and surprised when security forces arrived as part of their push towards Mosul.

“The government said it was coming for us, but we didn’t know when or how long it would take. We were just praying for someone to come,” she continued.

KM Iraq and her family’s story of flight from Mosul is just one among those of the more than 300 000 other people forced to flee their homes since the beginning of the Mosul operations in October 2016.  Close to 85 percent of those civilians are currently seeking safety and shelter in emergency camps and sites like the Qayyarah Airstrip where DRC registers new arrivals and coordinates with other humanitarian organizations to ensure people receive tents, food, water, and medical attention. However, as the conflict continues, more civilians are expected to flee their homes.

While KM Iraq and her family are happy to be safe, they are concerned about relatives and neighbors left behind.