Arab families trigger ISIS minefield while fleeing to Kurdistan

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – One person was killed and a dozen others wounded as 50 people walked into a minefield early Friday near Makhmour as they tried to escape the Islamic State (ISIS) and reach the Peshmerga defense lines.

Mahdi Younis, a Peshmerga official at the front told Rudaw that the families were fleeing ISIS as they triggered some landmines planted in the area by the militants.

"People surrender to the Peshmerga on the Makhmour on a daily basis, unfortunately today am ISIS landmine was triggered by the families, wounding 11 and killing a three-year old girl," said Younis.

Younis continued: "The Peshmerga rushed the wounded to the hospital."

A Rudaw reporter in Makhmour said the Arab families were from the villages in the Qaraj plains.

"We were on our way when a landmine detonated, people were all screaming, some were running and ISIS militants opened fire on us from behind," one survivor told Rudaw.

"Our children are hungry, there were lots of pressures on us, we have nothing to depend for living, life is zero and they [ISIS] treat us badly,” he complained.

The escaped villager said schools, hospitals and other services were all shut down in their areas.

Peshmerga official Younis said that since the start of recent clashes between the Peshmerga and ISIS on the Makhmour front around 3,000 people have fled the ISIS territory and to the Kurdish forces.