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Human rights violations rife as battle for Mosul rages: OHCHR

Xinhua, November 29, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Islamic State (IS, or ISIL) militants defending the Iraqi city of Mosul are committing serious human rights violations as operations to recapture one of the extremist group's last strongholds continue, the UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) warned Tuesday.

"We continue to receive reports of serious breaches of international human rights and international humanitarian law by ISIL in and around Mosul," the UN human rights body explained in a statement.

"ISIL has been installing rocket launchers and placing snipers on the rooftops of civilian houses. Those who refuse to allow their houses to be used in this way are threatened or killed," it added.

Reports received by OHCHR reveal that 12 people were executed on Nov. 11 in the eastern Bakir neighbourhood after civilians refused to allow IS combatants to install and launch rockets from the rooftop of their houses.

According to OHCHR, such families are effectively used as human shields since they are caught between IS front line troops and Iraqi Security Forces responding to rocket and sniper attacks.

The UN human rights body also voiced concern as to the whereabouts of hundreds of civilians allegedly abducted by IS and moved to secret locations.

Reports of IS killing those fleeing the war-torn city have also been received, with one incident pointing towards the shooting of seven-year-old child who was running towards Iraqi troops on Nov. 22.

According to latest International Organization for Migration (IOM) figures, more than 73,500 civilians have fled Mosul and adjacent districts since military operations to recapture the northern Iraqi city kicked off on Oct. 17.

Supported by Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, Iraqi troops launched the offensive last month to take back the city which fell into IS hands in June 2014 after government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions.

International aircraft as well as Iraqi and U.S.-led coalition artillery units are supporting ground operations there.

According to reports, more than 5,000 IS militants were initially holed up in Mosul, though they are losing ground amid ongoing military operations. Enditem