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22:13 GMT
BAGHDAD, June 19 (KUNA) -- The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said up to 84,000 people were forced to flee their homes in Fallujah and surrounding areas since start of government campaign to retake the city from the so-called Islamic State (IS) almost a month ago.
"Agencies are scrambling to respond to the rapidly evolving situation and we are bracing ourselves for another large exodus in the next few days as we estimate that thousands more people remain trapped in Fallujah," Bruno Geddo, the representative for the UN's refugee agency in Iraq said in a statement.
Over the past three days only, up to ten thousand families have fled Fallujah amid the heavy fighting.
He added that in many cases, two families, or even three, have no choice but to share the a single tent, while many others had to sleep in the open air.
The UNHCR and partners are building three new camps in Al-Khaldiya and the tourist town in Habbaniyah, in addition to expanding two other ones. (end)
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