UN: 180,000 people fled fighting in Iraqi provinceOctober 13, 2014 - 22:04 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - As many as 180,000 people have fled fighting between Iraqi forces and Islamic State (IS) militants in and around the city of Hit in western Anbar province, the UN said, according to BBC News. The civilians - many of whom were already displaced - have headed east towards the war-torn city of Ramadi. The UN says the refugees are in need of food, blankets and medical supplies. IS captured Hit earlier this month in an advance across Anbar that has alarmed Iraqi leaders. Analysts say seizing Anbar would enable IS to establish a supply line to launch possible attacks on the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. Meanwhile, an article in IS's online magazine Daqib said that Yazidi families have been sold into slavery by the group. The Yazidi people lived in an area of north-west Iraq overrun by IS fighters in August. The article says the people were divided among IS fighters "according to Sharia law" and goes on to describe slavery as a type of pathway to Islam. A recent Human Rights Watch report said IS had systematically separated captured women and girls from their families and forced some to marry its fighters. Reports of atrocities have also come from the northern Syrian town of Kobani where IS fighters are battling Kurdish forces. Witnesses have reported IS fighters beheading civilians trying to flee to safety. Kurdish forces say they urgently need more weapons and ammunition to push back the militants' advance in the town. Photo: ABC News Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament. Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”. |