Watch: 'Save us from ISIS or bomb us with chemical weapons,' Iraqi woman asks the world
In a video released on the Facebook page of the Iraqi social media campaign, "Fallujah is dying of hunger," the woman demands from the world: "save us from ISIS or bomb us with chemical weapons."
By MAAYAN GROISMANWoman from besieged Fallujah calls on the world to intervene
A woman from the besieged Iraqi city of Fallujah has desperately called on the international community to immediately intervene in order to prevent the city's starving residents from dying of hunger.In a two-minute long video released Thursday on the Facebook page of the Iraqi social media campaign, "Fallujah is dying of hunger," the woman demands from the world: "save us from ISIS or bomb us with chemical weapons."Fallujah, an ISIS-controlled city located west of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, has been under the siege of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMUs) for the last five months. Iraqi forces hope that by cutting supply lines to the city, they would be able to liberate it from the hands of ISIS, which captured the city in January 2014.However, ISIS fighters are still in control of the city, while Fallujah's citizens, who face a severe lack of basic commodities, are starving and dying of hunger.The story told by the woman speaking in the video demonstrates the great distress Fallujah's citizens have been living under during the siege.The woman says that she and her family are starving, pointing to the tiny casserole dish containing the food for her and her children. "We are dying of hunger. The Arab states, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, think of us, think of the people of Fallujah," she says.As reflected in the video, most Fallujans accuse the Gulf states, especially the Saudi kingdom and Qatar, of the humanitarian crisis in their city. They claim that the military and financial aid these states provide to the Shi'ite PMUs to help them vanquish ISIS enables the Iraqi forces to continue their siege on Fallujah."The four entrances to the city are blocked. We have no access to food, drinks or medicine," the woman stated, describing the impossible living conditions in Fallujah.Delivering a message to the world, she said: "I invite you to come to Fallujah, go to the hospital and see the distress the people have been living in."Bursting into tears, the woman called on the international community to "save us from ISIS or bomb us with chemical weapons so we will immediately die and not have a slow, agonizing death."
While aimed at annihilating ISIS’ presence in Fallujah, the Iraqi siege on the city might pour oil on the flames of the sectarian tensions in Iraq, thereby serving ISIS agenda. This is because the siege is imposed by Shi'ite forces, while its victims are Sunni citizens.