(VOVworld)- At least 200 Iraqi families have been made to leave their homes for Mosul by Islamic State (IS) fighters and could be used as human shields, the UN warns.

So far, only 'modest' numbers of people have fled Mosul, the UN says- Photo: Reuters

A coalition of forces began an advance on the IS-held city, the second largest in Iraq, on Monday. The UN human rights office says IS made the 200 families walk to Mosul from a nearby village on the same day. The UN also said it was investigating reports 40 people had been shot dead by IS fighters in one village near Mosul. The news came as IS fighters launched an attack on Kirkuk, 170km (105 miles) south-east of Mosul, killing 19 people, on Friday.