GENEVA: The Daesh 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.
A total of 2,521 civilians were killed, mostly by Daesh attacks, during the fight between Daesh and the internationally-backed Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) that ended in July, the UN rights office said in a report.
“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 Daesh in 2014 and became the capital of the group’s self-styled “caliphate” in the country.
Following Daesh’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.
Daesh executed 741 civilians during Mosul battle: UN
Daesh executed 741 civilians during Mosul battle: UN
UAE calls for restraint, urges Yemenis to resolve differences through dialogue
- The UAE statement said Yemenis should exercise restraint and prioritize dialogue to safeguard security and stability
- It also affirmed that de-escalation and constructive dialogue remain the most effective path to overcoming current challenges
DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates said Saturday that is closely following recent developments in Yemen and expresses its deep concern over the ongoing escalation.
The UAE statement said Yemenis should exercise restraint and prioritize dialogue to safeguard security and stability.
“The UAE stresses the importance of de-escalation, giving precedence to dialogue over confrontation, and addressing existing differences among the brotherly Yemenis through understanding and consensus on sustainable political solutions,” read a statement on WAM news agency.
“This should be pursued through a rational and responsible approach that priorities the interests of the country and its people, with stability and prosperity as the foremost priorities.”
“The UAE further affirms that de-escalation and constructive dialogue remain the most effective path to overcoming current challenges, contributing to lasting stability in Yemen and the region, and fulfilling the aspirations of their peoples for security and prosperity.”
