Iraq spokesman: 500 people killed, 8,000 fled in last few days as Ramadi fell to Islamic State

In this Saturday, May 16, 2015 photo, Iraqis fleeing from their hometown of Ramadi walk on a street near the Bzebiz bridge, 65 kilometers (40 miles) west of Baghdad. Muhannad Haimour, a spokesman for the governor of Iraq's Anbar province, said Sunday, "Ramadi has fallen," to the Islamic State group. He also said the military's operational command in the city has been taken as well. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban) (The Associated Press)

In this Saturday, May 16, 2015 photo, Iraqis fleeing from their hometown of Ramadi, Iraq, walk on a street near the Bzebiz bridge, 65 kilometers (40 miles) west of Baghdad. The Islamic State group seized control of the city of Ramadi on Sunday, sending Iraqi forces racing out of the city in a major loss despite the support of U.S.-led airstrikes targeting the extremists. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban) (The Associated Press)

In this Saturday, May 16, 2015 photo, Iraqis fleeing from their hometown of Ramadi walk on a street near the Bzebiz bridge, 65 kilometers (40 miles) west of Baghdad. The Islamic State group seized control of the city of Ramadi on Sunday, sending Iraqi forces racing out of the city in a major loss despite the support of U.S.-led airstrikes targeting the extremists. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban) (The Associated Press)

A spokesman for the governor of Iraq's Anbar province says about 500 people — both civilians and Iraqi soldiers — are estimated to have been killed over the last few days as the city of Ramadi fell to the Islamic State group.

Muhannad Haimour said Monday that also, "approximately 8,000 have fled" Ramadi. He says the figure is in addition to the enormous exodus in April, when the U.N. said as many as 114,000 residents fled from Ramadi and surrounding villages at the height of the violence.

Local officials have said that IS carried out mass killings of Iraqi security forces and civilians.

IS seized control of the Anbar provincial capital on Sunday, sending Iraqi forces fleeing in a major loss despite the support of U.S.-led airstrikes targeting the extremists.