U.N. Accuses Islamic State of Executions, Rape, Forced Child Recruitment in Iraq
The low key diplospeak of the UN becomes annoying at times, these very clearly are war crimes. There is no “may amount to” about it.
The United Nations accused Islamic State fighters in Iraq of executions, rape and forced recruitment of children during a campaign to seize much of northern Iraq, part of a conflict it said has killed almost 5,600 civilians this year.
In a report, the U.N. focused on a range of violations committed against civilians, particularly by the Islamic State, though it also said Iraqi forces and allied fighters had not taken precautions to protect civilians from violence.
“(This)…may also amount to war crimes,” it said in its report into months of unrest which culminated in advances by Sunni militants led by the al Qaeda offshoot Islamic State, formerly known as ISIL, across the north of the country.
“ISIL and associated armed groups have also continued to… perpetrate targeted assassinations (of) community, political, and religious leaders, government employees, education professionals, health workers… sexual assault, rape and other forms of sexual violence against women and girls, forced recruitment of children, kidnappings, executions, robberies.”
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