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“Tens of thousands of civilians stranded inside Islamic State-controlled Falluja are at risk of disease outbreaks as Iraqi government forces press their assault to retake the city, a World Health Organization (WHO) official said on Thursday. Islamic State has tightened control over civilian movement in central Falluja, where an estimated 40,000 people are stuck with little water or food, as commandos from an elite counter-terrorism force inch closer to the city's main government building more than three weeks after the offensive began. The ultra-hardline militants, who by U.S. estimates have lost almost half of the northern and western territory they seized when Iraqi forces partially collapsed in 2014, have used residents as human shields to slow the military's advance and thwart an international air campaign backing them. Falluja, an hour's drive west of Baghdad, is seen as a launchpad for Islamic State bombings in the capital, making the offensive a crucial part of the government's campaign to improve security, although U.S. allies would prefer to concentrate on IS-held Mosul, Iraq's second largest city in the far north. Falluja is a historic bastion of the Sunni insurgency against U.S. forces that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein, a Sunni, in 2003, and the Shi'ite-led governments that followed. Enemies of Islamic State have launched major offensives against the jihadists on other fronts, including a push by U.S.-backed forces against the city of Manbij in northern Syria. They amount to the most sustained pressure on IS since it proclaimed a religious caliphate in 2014”. – Stephen Kalin via Reuters

A woman, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, stand next to her children at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)

A woman, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, stand next to her children at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)



An elderly woman, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, sits inside a tent at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq,  June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)

An elderly woman, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, sits inside a tent at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)



A woman, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, carries her child during a dust storm at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)

A woman, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, carries her child during a dust storm at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)



An Iraqi girl, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, pose for photographer at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)

An Iraqi girl, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, pose for photographer at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)



An Iraqi girl, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, wash at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)

An Iraqi girl, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, wash at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)



Displaced people, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, are seen during a dust storm at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)

Displaced people, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, are seen during a dust storm at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)



An Iraqi girl, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, poses for a photographer at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)

An Iraqi girl, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, poses for a photographer at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)



Displaced people, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, are seen during a dust storm at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)

Displaced people, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, are seen during a dust storm at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)



Displaced Iraqi children, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, are seen during a dust storm at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)

Displaced Iraqi children, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, are seen during a dust storm at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)



Displaced Iraqi children, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, pose for photographer during a dust storm at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)

Displaced Iraqi children, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, pose for photographer during a dust storm at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)



Displaced people, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, walk during a dust storm at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)

Displaced people, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, walk during a dust storm at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)



Displaced people, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, are seen during a dust storm at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)

Displaced people, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, are seen during a dust storm at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)



Displaced people, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, are seen inside a tent at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)

Displaced people, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, are seen inside a tent at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)



Displaced people, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, are seen inside a tent at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)

Displaced people, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, are seen inside a tent at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)



An Iraqi child, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, looks through a tent at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)

An Iraqi child, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, looks through a tent at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)



A woman, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, builds oven at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)

A woman, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, builds oven at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)



Displaced Iraqi children, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, pose for photographer during a dust storm at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)

Displaced Iraqi children, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, pose for photographer during a dust storm at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)



An Injured boy, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, is seen in a tent at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)

An Injured boy, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, is seen in a tent at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)



Displaced people, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, build oven at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)

Displaced people, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, build oven at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)



A woman, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, carries water at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)

A woman, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, carries water at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)



Displaced people, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, stand in line for treatment at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)

Displaced people, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, stand in line for treatment at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)



Displaced people, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, walk during a dust storm at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)

Displaced people, who fled from Falluja because of Islamic State violence, walk during a dust storm at a refugee camp in Ameriyat Falluja, south of Falluja, Iraq, June 16, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters)
17 Jun 2016 13:15:00