The Islamic State group is shooting and killing civilians who try to flee Falluja, as Iraqi forces attempt to retake the city, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).



“Reports from families that NRC has been in touch with describe that civilians trying to cross the Euphrates river in order to flee the fighting are being targeted by armed opposition groups,” the organisation said in a statement.

NRC runs the camps in the town of Amriyat al-Falluja to which most of the civilians who have fled areas around the besieged jihadist bastion are being housed.

“An unidentified number of civilians have been shot and killed trying to cross the river,” NRC said.

One of the only ways for civilians to try to leave the centre of Falluja, which is littered with booby traps and roadside bombs, is to sneak out by river.

Most of those who have already reached camps lived in outlying areas and as many as 50,000 civilians are believed to remain in the centre of Falluja, being used as human shields by Isis.

Nasr Muflahi, NRC country director, said: “Our biggest fears are now tragically confirmed with civilians being directly targeted while trying to flee to safety.”

“This is the worst that we feared would happen to innocent men, women and children who have had to leave everything behind in order to save their lives,” he said.

The aid group said that around 18,000 civilians have reached displacement camps since Iraqi forces two weeks ago began an operation to retake Falluja.