Islamic State executed 741 civilians during Mosul battle: UN | World News - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Islamic State executed 741 civilians during Mosul battle: UN

Agence France-Presse, Geneva | ByAgence France-Presse
Nov 02, 2017 06:56 PM IST

The UN rights office also called for investigations into alleged violations committed by the Iraqi Security Forces and their allies.

The Islamic State group executed 741 civilians in the battle for the Iraqi city of Mosul, the UN said Thursday, accusing the jihadists of perpetrating “international crimes” during the nine-month military campaign.

Cars burnt and destroyed by clashes are seen on a street during a battle between Iraqi forces and Islamic State militants, in Mosul, Iraq March 16, 2017.(Reuters File Photo)
Cars burnt and destroyed by clashes are seen on a street during a battle between Iraqi forces and Islamic State militants, in Mosul, Iraq March 16, 2017.(Reuters File Photo)

A total of 2,521 civilians were killed, mostly by IS attacks, during the fight between IS and the internationally-backed Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) that ended in July, the UN rights office said in a report.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

“Those responsible must answer for their heinous crimes”, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, said in a statement.

Mosul, Iraq’s second city, was captured by IS in 2014 and became the capital of the group’s self-styled “caliphate” in the country.

Following IS’s defeat in the city, the rights office said it had compiled witness testimony documenting “mass abductions of civilians, the use of thousands as human shields, the intentional shelling of civilian residences, and indiscriminate targeting of civilians trying to flee the city”.

More than 800,000 people were displaced by the fighting, the report said.

The rights office also called for investigations into alleged violations committed by the ISF and their allies, including militia groups.

The report “recorded 461 civilian deaths as a result of airstrikes during the most intensive phase of the ISF-led offensive from 19 February”, the UN said in a statement, noting that it was impossible to establish responsibility for the strikes “in almost all cases”.

The rights office urged the Iraqi government to invite the International Criminal Court to investigate the country’s situation “as an immediate step”.

“By prosecuting those responsible for ‘international crimes’ in Mosul the Iraqi authorities would be sending a message to the people of Iraq who have suffered, no matter when or where, that justice is eventually delivered,” the rights office said.

Unlock a world of Benefits with HT! From insightful newsletters to real-time news alerts and a personalized news feed – it's all here, just a click away! - Login Now!

Get Latest World News along with Latest News from India at Hindustan Times.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On