The United Nations human rights office says half a million Iraqis have fled their homes since Monday, after Islamic militants took over the towns of Mosul and Tikrit in Iraq.
U.N. spokesman Rupert Colville says hundreds of civilians may have been killed, and nearly 1000 wounded. Iraqi Army soldiers have also been targeted.
Many of the displaced Iraqis have been saying they feared retribution by Iraqi troops. Colville said there was evidence of that too.
At the same time, there are reports of some Iraqis who fled Mosul, deciding to come back after being told everything was fine, even though the city is now controlled by sunni militants.
Residents of Mosul have long complained of mistreatment by the Shite-dominated government in Baghdad.
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