São Paulo – The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Unhcr) has reported this Wednesday (11th) that nearly half a million people have been displaced as a result of conflicts taking place this year in the province of Anbar, in Western Iraq. According to the UN agency, the Iraqi government has recorded 434,000 displaced men, women and children since January, but the Unhcr believes the total may be as high as 480,000, since the official count was suspended in May due to violence in the region.
The conflict is taking place between government forces and Islamic fighters. According to the Unhcr, the clashes are ongoing. Last month alone, according to the organization, approximately 72,000 people were forced to leave their homes due to flooding as a result of damage caused to a dam by the rebels, in the Abu Ghraib district. The Anbar province touches borders with Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
