The appeal Tuesday is aimed at providing emergency relief in such areas as food, water, education, sanitation, protection, housing and shelter, and health and nutrition.

The U.N. hopes some of the aid will focus on immediate relief for newly displaced people who cannot access their food rations. An estimated 4 million Iraqis are in need of food assistance.

The United Nations humanitarian coordinator for Iraq, David Shearer, says U.N. officials must respond rapidly to people who need support.

The U.N. believes more than 2 million Iraqis have become internally displaced since the start of the Iraq war in 2003, and another 2 million have fled to Jordan and Syria.

Source: By VOA News