TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Iraqis are fleeing from fighting in the cities of Fallujah and Ramadi at rates not seen since the country's civil war started six years ago.
In the past week alone, around 65,000 people have left the two cities in Anbar province, the site fighting between the Shiite-led government and al-Qaeda groups, UN refugee agency UNHCR said in a statement.
"Many of the displaced are still in desperate need of food, medical care and other aid," the UN said. "As the insecurity has spread, many families who fled several weeks ago have been displaced again."
More than 140,000 people have lost their homes since the violence erupted in this region at the end of last year. The UN data also showed more than 1.1 people have become refugees in Iraq.
NBC NEWS | AL-AKHBAR | ABDUL MANAN