U.N. asks for $861 million to fund Iraq humanitarian needs

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The United Nations made an appeal on Sunday for $861 million (604.42 million pounds) to help Iraq meet a funding gap in its 2016 response to the humanitarian crisis caused by the war against Islamic State. Baghdad, whose revenues have fallen as oil prices have plunged, has said it will manage to fund less than half of its $1.56 billion plan to assist some 10 million people in need. "With the expanding needs, the allocation through the federal budget will not be sufficient. We expect that the highly prioritised (U.N.) Humanitarian Response Plan will help cover part of the gap," Minister of Migration and Displacement Jassim Mohammed al-Jaff said in a statement. (Reporting by Saif Hameed; Writing by Stephen Kalin; Editing by Catherine Evans)