Iraqis fleeing ISIL-held Mosul seek refuge in Syria

More than 4,000 Iraqis from the northern city of Mosul have fled to Syria since the beginning of May, the UN has said, adding it is expecting up to 50,000 people to leave the ISIL-held city and cross the border.

Driving the refugee exodus appear to be reports that fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) armed group have stepped up executions of men and boys in Fallujah - the other major Iraqi city still in their hands - since pro-government forces launched an offensive to re-take the city, the UN's refugee agency said on Friday.

According to UNHCR, a total of 4,266 people arrived this month at the al-Hol camp, situated 14km from the Iraqi border in Syria's north-eastern Hasakah province.

"We've seen actually a spike in the numbers of Iraqi refugees who are risking the dangerous crossing into Syria in a desperate bid. Just picture this, we have refugees fleeing to Syria," UNHCR spokesperson Melissa Fleming said.

"The reasons for that are the pending battle to re-take it (Mosul). They, I'm sure, hear what's going on in Fallujah and want to leave before they too are trapped. But also there is fighting in the surrounding areas that is driving people to leave."

'We're getting ready'

The Iraqi army launched an offensive on Monday to dislodge ISIL from Fallujah, 50km west of Baghdad.

Fallujah was the first Iraqi city to fall under ISIL control in January 2014, and has been under a tight siege for about six months. Iraqi forces, with help from a US-led coalition, are expected to push later this year to retake Mosul, which has been held by ISIL since June 2014.

The refugees from Mosul, who walked for several days before reaching the al-Hol camp, "are living now in relative safety - if you can say that for Syria", Fleming said.

"Right now it's a bit over 4,000 but it is in anticipation of 50,000. There are contingencies for potential numbers who could be coming in ... They don't have many other options of places to flee in that region, so we're getting ready."