Hundreds of families have managed to flee the Iraqi city of Fallujah after two years of living under Islamic State (Isis) rule. Iraqi troops launched a final attack on the city on 30 May, hoping to bring it back under their control after the city fell to the militant group in January 2014.
Taking with them few belongings, those who escaped the besieged city were mainly women and children, exhausted as they piled into a minibus and were taken to safety by security forces.
A woman told Reuters, as she was sitting in a minibus after fleeing the war-torn area: "We left in the morning when the bombing intensified and became so near and we knew that the army, the security forces, were very near to us, so we decided to go to them.
"Thus, we carried our personal belongings and we left with our families, leaving everything else behind. They (Iraqi forces) received us well. They were very good to us and they spared no efforts to help us."
A displaced Iraqi girl poses for a picture in front of a tent at a newly-opened camp in the government-held town of Amriyat al-Fallujah 50km (30 miles) southwest of Baghdad, which was set up to shelter people fleeing violence around the city of FallujahJean Marc Mojon/AFPA child sits inside a bus in Iraq's Anbar province, after fleeing FallujahAhmad Al-Rubaye/AFPFamilies are seen near al-Sejar village, in Iraq's Anbar province, after fleeing the city of FallujahAhmad Al-Rubaye/AFPA displaced boy sits under the shade of a tent at a newly-opened camp in the government-held town of Amriyat al-FallujahJean Marc Mojon/AFP
One camp, located in Amriyat al-Fallujah – around 30 miles from Baghdad, has been set up to shelter those fleeing the violence around the IS-controlled city. According to the Norwegian Refugee Council, which is responsible for the running of the camp, there are around 3,000 people who have managed to flee the area and reach displacement camps since Iraqi forces launched an operation against Isis a week ago.
Women and children gather around a Red Crescent ambulance that is handing out medicine, at a newly-opened camp in the government-held town of Amriyat al-FallujahJean Marc Mojon/AFPA displaced Iraqi girl who fled fighting between government forces and the Islamic State (IS) group in Anbar province lines up to collect donated food at the Alexanzan camp in the Dora neighbourhood on the southern outskirts of BaghdadSabah Arar/AFPGeneral view of a newly-opened camp in the Iraqi government-held town of Amriyat al-Fallujah, 30 miles southwest of BaghdadAhmad Mousa/AFPA member of the Iraqi armed forces stands guard at the entrance of a newly-opened camp in the government-held town of Amriyat al-Fallujah, 30 miles southwest of BaghdadJean Marc Mojon/AFPA displaced boy sleeps inside a tent at a newly-opened camp in the government-held town of Amriyat al-FallujahJean Marc Mojon/AFPFamilies are pictured near al-Sejar village, in Iraq's Anbar province, after fleeing the city of FallujahAhmad Al-Rubaye/AFP
Another shelter has been set up in Garma, roughly 10 miles from the Iraqi capital. Those who come are drained from the hurried journey that saw many people left behind. According to one woman, the Islamic State militants took the men and it is not known if they are still alive. The militants "tightened the noose around us to force us to support them," one person explained. "But we did not side with them. We hid in our house."
A woman holds her baby in the town of GarmaThaier Al-Sudani/ReutersAbu Shiab (C-R) sits with his family in a tent at the Alexanzan camp in the Dora neighbourhood on the southern outskirts of Baghdad after they were displaced from the Jbeil, a village near the embattled Iraqi city of FallujahSabah Arar/AFPAn Iraq girl who has fled home due to the clashes on the outskirts of Fallujah sits inside a shelter in the town of GarmaThaier Al-Sudani/ReutersWomen who fled their homes due to the clashes on the outskirts of Fallujah, gather in the town of GarmaThaier Al-Sudani/ReutersA boy plays with a chick after fleeing his home due to the clashes on the outskirts of FallujahThaier Al-Sudani/ReutersMen who fled their homes due to the clashes on the outskirts of Fallujah, gather in the town of GarmaThaier Al-Sudani/ReutersDisplaced people who fled fighting between government forces and the Islamic State group in Anbar province line up to collect donated food at the Alexanzan camp in the Dora neighbourhood on the southern outskirts of BaghdadSabah Arar/AFPA girl who has fled home due to the clashes on the outskirts of Fallujah, gather in the town of GarmaThaier Al-Sudani/Reuters
With no food and no medicine, those who are still living under the militant group reported that the soaring prices of staple ingredients, such as flour and rice were leaving them with little or nothing to eat.
"We've been trapped for three years. We ate rotten dates and they (IS militants) moved us from one area to another. We drank hot water and ate unfresh food and we were content and we thank God. We only want an end to our plight. Do you believe that the price of a sack of flour (50 kilos) reached 1,250,000 (Iraqi dinars, $1,000), a handful rice is sold at 50,000 (Iraqi dinars, $40) and it is hard to find," a woman from Fallujah told Reuters.
Fears are now increasing for the 50,000 people who are still believed to be trapped inside the city, in a battle that is shaping up to be one of the biggest ever fought against the Islamic State.
Women watch the children sleep as they gather in the town of GarmaThaier Al-Sudani/ReutersA woman holds a child as they gather in a shelter for those who fled their homes due to clashes on the outskirts of Fallujah, in the town of GarmaThaier Al-Sudani/ReutersMen gather in the town of Garma, having fled their homes due to the clashes in FallujahThaier Al-Sudani/ReutersFamilies react after fleeing the city of FallujahAhmad Al-Rubaye/AFPPeople gather in a shelter in the town of Garma for those who fled their homes due to clashes on the outskirts of FallujahThaier Al-Sudani/ReutersFamilies are seen near al-Sejar village, in Iraq's Anbar province, after fleeing the city of FallujahAhmad Al-Rubaye/AFPFamilies are pictured near al-Sejar village, in Iraq's Anbar province, after fleeing the city of FallujahAhmad Al-Rubaye/AFPPeople carry their belongings in Iraq's Anbar province, after fleeing the city of FallujahAhmad Al-Rubaye/AFPA displaced Iraqi girl stands by a tent at a newly-opened camp in the government-held town of Amriyat al-Fallujah 50km (30 miles) southwest of Baghdad Ahmad Mousa/AFP
