An Iraqi minister on Saturday sharply criticised UN efforts to aid civilians fleeing fighting in west Mosul, even as the United Nations insisted that providing such assistance was the "top priority". Tens of thousands of people have fled west Mosul since Iraqi forces launched an operation to retake it from the Islamic State jihadist group on February 19, pushing into the area from the south. "Unfortunately, there is a clear shortfall in the work of these (UN) organisations," said Jassem Mohammed al-Jaff, the minister of displacement and migration.



More...