20 Thousand Lives

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20,000 children are trapped in Iraq's Fallujah, according to The U.N. children's fund.

The warning was made to Iraqi troops and Islamic State militants, who are involved in the battle for Fallujah, while tens of thousands are trapped in the middle of the fighting for control of this city west of Baghdad.

In totals, some 50,000 people are believed to be trapped inside the Sunni majority city, about 40 miles west of Baghdad.

UNICEF estimated the number of the children trapped with their families inside the city at about 20,000, warning that they face a dire humanitarian situation, in addition to the risk of forced recruitment into the fighting by the IS militants.

Fear for civilians as Islamic State halts Iraqi army at gates of Falluja http://reut.rs/22vbZoh via @Reuters

Iraq may retake Falluja – but to defeat Isis it must win back hearts and minds | Ranj Alaaldin http://gu.com/p/4kvn5/stw