ISIS Using Chemical Weapons and Civilians as Human Shields, Say Witnesses
As the battle for west Mosul drags on, the situation has taken a heavy toll on innocent people with hundreds killed or wounded amid the fighting. Around 400,000 civilians are believed to be trapped in the Old City and are unable to leave as they are used as human shields by the Islamic State (ISIS).
The war's horrific effects are found in the daily scenes at Al-Shabkun clinic in the heart of the city where dozens of wounded are rushed every day to receive emergency assistance. One of them is 34-year-old Mahmud Mousa whose face was wounded while fleeing Tenek neighborhood, which was freed by federal forces on Tuesday, April 25.
"The people have nothing left to eat. Even water has become scarce. [ISIS] kept us as human shields and they killed whoever tried to leave," Mousa narrated the condition in their community. "We fled and that is when I was wounded. Thank God that no one else in my family was hurt. They left before me and are waiting for me to be transferred to a camp."
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The clinic, one of the closest medical centers to the frontlines, was opened a week ago by the Iraqi Health Access Organization, which also deployed a medical team of 40 doctors and nurses. They include volunteer physician Ahmad Wael who said he wanted to serve as there are not many doctors in west Mosul.
An officer of a military field hospital said the condition hasn't improved since the campaign began on Oct. 17, 2016. ISIS fighters have both shot at and executed civilians attempting to flee areas under their control. The existence of civilians at battlefields has been one reason behind the slowdown of operations at some stages.
"The number of civilian casualties is increasing because Daesh fighters are targeting civilians and using them as human shields," he said, referring to ISIS' name in Arabic. "Daesh is using chemical weapons as well... Less than an hour ago they used chlorine gas against military positions."
