At least 200 people killed in Mosul air strikes

MOSUL, Iraq — At least 200 people have been killed in air strikes in the Mosul al-Jadida neighborhood of Mosul, most of them believed to be civilians.


Rudaw correspondent in Mosul Hevidar Ahmed said that 130 of the people were killed inside one house alone.


Around 100 others were hit inside another.


ISIS militants could be among the dead.


“Some of the dead were taking shelter inside the homes,” said the correspondent.


The advance of the Iraqi army has come to halt in the neighborhood due to the bombing.


Military officials told Rudaw that ISIS militants are deeply entrenched inside civilian homes.


The UN’s humanitarian coordinator for Iraq, Lise Grande, told reporters last week that civilians are at risk whether they choose to flee the city or remain in their homes.


Those who choose to stay face extreme risks from crossfire, snipers, and explosive hazards; while families who choose to leave are equally at risk: families get separated, ISIS targets them, and there is a risk of explosive hazards.