Iraq says 100,000 flee homes due to bloodshed

BAGHDAD, May 7 (Reuters) More than 100,000 people have fled their homes in Iraq since late February because of the insurgency and rising sectarian bloodshed, up from 65,000 just over two weeks ago, Iraqi officials said.

These are only the refugees who have registered with the Displacement and Migration Ministry for financial support, food and supplies since the bombing of a Shi'ite Muslim shrine on February 22 in the city of Samarra fanned sectarian tensions.

''After the bombing in Samarra and the eruption of widespread violence, thousands of families left their homes to escape the constant violence,'' said ministry spokesman Sattar Nawrouz.

About 15,000 families, roughly split among majority Shi'ite Muslims and Sunni Arabs in the same proportions as the general mix of Iraq's 26 million people, had left their homes according to the ministry's latest report.

The report shows almost 7,680 families moved to the Shi'ite provinces in southern Iraq and about 3,200 to mainly Sunni provinces such as western Anbar and central Salahiddin.

Not all refugees register with the ministry. Many of the better off move in with relatives or rent homes in new areas.

''Some families, especially the wealthy ones, held back from telling authorities they had left their homes for new ones because they don't need any help from the government,'' Nawrouz said, adding the department would appeal through the media for all families to register, whether they needed aid or not.

In mid-April, the ministry said 65,000 people had left their homes since the February 22 shrine bombing.

Reuters OM RS2016