Iraqi official: 500 killed, 8,000 fled as Ramadi fell to IS

DOHUK, Iraq — A spokesman for the governor of Iraq’s Anbar province says about 500 people — both civilians and Iraqi soldiers — are estimated to have been killed over the last few days as the city of Ramadi fell to the Islamic State group.

Muhannad Haimour said Monday that also, “approximately 8,000 have fled” Ramadi. He says the figure is in addition to the enormous exodus in April, when the U.N. said as many as 114,000 residents fled from Ramadi and surrounding villages at the height of the violence.

Local officials have said that IS carried out mass killings of Iraqi security forces and civilians.

IS seized control of the Anbar provincial capital on Sunday, sending Iraqi forces fleeing in a major loss despite the support of U.S.-led airstrikes targeting the extremists.