BAGHDAD — Abu Jassim can only afford to provide one meal a day for his seven-member family — usually a stew made of locally grown leafy green vegetables or rice with a small portion of flat bread.
“We are experiencing the agony of starvation for the first time in our life,” said Abu Jassim, 52, a grocer and resident of the besieged Islamic State-held city of Fallujah.
In reality, nobody seems to be starving in Fallujah just yet. But medical officials say malnutrition is on the rise and vital medical supplies are running out.
Since August, Iraqi government troops have tightened their grip around Fallujah — under IS control since the early days of 2014 — and have prevented the entry of food and medicine into the city. Those seeking to flee the city have sometimes found themselves trapped by the militants.
Several Fallujah residents spoke to The Associated Press over the telephone — all on condition of anonymity for fear of IS reprisal. Abu Jassim would only be identified by his Iraqi societal nickname, which translates as “Jassim’s father.”
Residents depicted a bleak picture of conditions inside the city.
A 220- pound bag of flour now costs nearly 2 million Iraqi dinars ($1,550), compared with around 51,600 dinars ($40) in the past. A 16-ounce can of powdered baby formula has jumped from 3,870 dinars ($3) to 144,000 dinars ($112).
Items such sugar and tea are not available at any price. Some residents, however, pointed out that families connected to IS members appear to suffer the least and receive extra provisions.
There is also a severe shortage in medicine mainly for chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes, according to a doctor at the city’s hospital.
Residents living across the Euphrates River in Khaldiya have tried to float supplies over the water to friends and relatives inside Fallujah — stuffing dried food and medicine into plastic bottles and gas cans. But residents say IS militants often confiscate these goods.
Now Abu Jassim sets traps on his roof to capture pigeons and boil them down to make porridge, a dish his children do not like much.
“We are waiting for salvation to see Fallujah liberated,” he said.
He may be waiting a long time.