Iraq reopens hot springs spa amid Mosul war chaos

SPA TOWN CAMP

Upgrading the baths is probably the last priority for officials who, just 2 km (1.25 miles) away, also have to run one of the biggest camps for people fleeing the battle of Mosul.

Every five minutes or so, a bus pulls into Hammam al-Alil with more new arrivals. Up to 5,000 people come every day from the district or across the frontlines around Mosul, around 30 km (19 miles) to the north. The United Nations said on Tuesday the total number of displaced since the offensive began in October had exceeded 300,000 and camps for them are being expanded to take in even more people expected to flee the fighting in and around Mosul's densely populated old city.

With tents packed sometimes with two families in one some spend their first night in a mass tent or outside. Many are in state of shock.

"We left at 1 a.m. to avoid Daesh snipers walking to the army checkpoint and arrived here in the evening," said 20-year old Omar Abdullah, who came with 20 family and fiends.

"We didn't get a place in Hammam al-Alil so we went to a mosque where the preacher took us to his apartment. Now we'll try another camp," he said.

While there's plenty of hot water at the spa, women in the tent city rise early to queue for the water truck that comes once a day.

"We have some 200 spa visitors everyday, locals, soldiers," said Mohammed, the spa worker. "There are also displaced people but many can't afford the 1,000 dinars entrance fee." ($1 = 1,166.0000 Iraqi dinars)

Reuters