UNHCR special envoy Angelina Jolie visited Iraq's second-largest city Mosul on Saturday (16/6).
Jolie urged the international community not to forget the citizens of Mosul, abandoned the city of ISIS, who was having trouble rebuilding their city after the war.
Iraqi government troops managed to free Mosul in July 2017 from the ISIS armed group, which ruled the northern city of Iraq for three years and made it one of their "caliphate" bases.
The liberation effort of Mosul has displaced about 900,000 townspeople.
In a video recording and photos broadcast by UNHCR, Jolie, a prominent Hollywood actress, met several families in Mosul West. She also walked the streets that were devastated by bombs.
“This is the worst devastation I have seen in all my years working with UNHCR"— UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) June 16, 2018
Our Special Envoy Angelina Jolie visits Mosul in Iraq, and urges the world not to forget the people of the city. https://t.co/s22hAmQT0b
In most areas of Mosul City, normal life is back on track. Many refugees have left the shelter and returned to their homes.
But much of the old town in western Mosul has been destroyed and turned into rubble during a war involving 100,000 alliance troops between the government military units, Kurdish Peshmerga guerrillas and Shi'ite militias, complete with air support from the United States.
The reconstruction effort of Mosul City is slow.
"This is the biggest damage I have seen in years of working with UNHCR.The people here have lost everything," Jolie said in a written statement from UNHCR.
"They are very miserable, they have no medicine for their children, and most do not have access to water or other basic services," she said.
"I hope there will be a long-term commitment to rebuilding this city and I call on the international community not to forget Mosul," said Jolie.
Jolie has worked with UNHCR since 2001 She has visited refugees in various countries. Starting from Iraq, Cambodia, and Kenya. According to UNHCR, this is Angelina Jolie's fifth visit to Iraq.
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