Tens of thousands may be used as human shields in Mosul

International Organisation for Migration says sharp rise in number of people fleeing their homes is also expected

Tens of thousands of civilians could be used as human shields by Islamic State fighters defending their stronghold in the Iraqi city of Mosul, the International Organisation for Migration said on Tuesday.

IOM's chief of mission in Iraq, Thomas Weiss, said he also expected a sharp rise in the number of people forced to flee as military operations reached the outskirts of the city.



Weiss, speaking by phone from Baghdad, said IOM had started procuring gas masks because of the fear of a chemical weapons attack, but had obtained very few so far.