BRUSSELS, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Belgium has decided to give an additional four million euros(4.17 million U.S. dollars) in emergency humanitarian aid to the Iraqi city of Mosul, Belgian Minister of Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo announced on Wednesday.
The decision came after "the deterioration of the humanitarian situation as a result of the battle of Mosul," the minister said in a press release.
The additional contribution will go to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), who operates aid projects in the city, he added, stressing that the ICRC is "one of the main humanitarian partners of Belgium."
"The priorities of the ICRC are fully in line with Belgian policy: providing protection and assistance to people affected by armed conflict, granting access to health care and water and promoting international humanitarian law," said De Croo.
In 2016, Belgium has provided in total more than 12 million euros in humanitarian aid to Iraq, including five million for the ICRC, according to the press release.
The battle for Mosul in northern Iraq began two months ago when the Iraqi army started a major offensive to retake Mosul, the country's second largest city and the last major Islamic State (IS) stronghold in Iraq.
