Millions of people displaced in Iraq will face freezing temperatures this winter, some with little or even no protection against the cold.
Speaking to Christian Today from Dohuk in Kurdistan, Aaron Moore, head of programmes for World Vision in Northern Iraq, said that the aid organisation is very concerned for the plight of especially the hundreds of thousands of civilians who are fleeing Mosul and its surrounding areas.
Since the offensive to take back the city from Islamic State – Mosul is the group's last stronghold in Iraq – on October 17, around 34,000 people have fled the region into surrounding camps.
Up to 700,000 more are expected to flood out of the area in the coming weeks, but there are currently only just over 60,000 tents available.
"They are being built quickly, and the water supply and showers and latrines are all being built along those locations [in the camps], but not fast enough," Moore said. "If we were to see in the next two or three weeks the conflict and offensive into Mosul make significant progress, and the humanitarian corridors really opened, we would have much larger number of displaced civilians escaping. We would see those tents occupied very quickly.
"We're very worried. Even with all the tents being built, it could very easily exceed the capacity."
Many of the people who have already escaped into the camps are in a "very desperate" condition, Moore added. Often they have been forced to leave their homes in the middle of the night and walk for up to 10 hours before reaching relative safety. "They've been through an extremely scary few hours, but they've already survived two years of difficult life."
"Many of these families fled with whatever they could carry – and sometimes that's their kids," Moore said. "They're fleeing with whatever is on their backs, when you go into these camps some of the children are barefoot, and it's getting cold."
The tents, though providing some shelter, have no insulation. It's expected to get very cold in Northern Iraq by the end of November, and temperatures will plummet to below zero over the next few months. In the winter of 2014/2015, reports surfaced of displaced people and refugees freezing to death in the Middle East. It's possible that the same could happen again this year.
And it's not just the displaced. Moore expressed concern for civilians still trapped in Mosul – many of whom are elderly – who are unlikely to have heating supplies to help survive the cold months.
World Vision is working with other actors in the region to make sure that those who manage to escape to the camps, at least, are given warm clothing, heating and fuel.
It's also setting up Child Friendly Spaces (CFS), where displaced children can play games, sing, draw and dance – activities that they couldn't take part in under ISIS rule.
"We're seeing kids able to laugh, play, feel that life can be safe again and have fun again. It's just beautiful to see how resilient children can be," Moore said.
"But all that said, the need is enormous."
