ISIS News Today 2017: UN Report Reveals Civilian Death Toll in Mosul Due to Jihadists' Attacks
The United Nations revealed that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) fighters, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), have murdered hundreds of residents of Mosul, Iraq during the last two weeks.
According to a report from the U.N. Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the jihadists killed a lot of civilians to stop them from fleeing the city so they can use them as their human shield against the airstrikes launched by a U.S.-led coalition in the area.
The report claimed that the ISIS began shooting civilians who were attempting to escape the al-Shifa neighborhood in the western part of Mosul on Friday, May 26, where a total of 27 people were killed including 14 women and five children. The neighbors reportedly buried the bodies the next day.
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Then, on Thursday, June 1, more people were killed near a Pepsi factory. The report cited sources who claimed that the victims were trying to escape the armed clashes between the jihadists and the Iraqi security forces. The bodies of the deceased were left on the streets for several days, while a still-unknown number of civilians are claimed to be missing.
Another killing spree was reported on Saturday, June 3, where at least 41 people were killed in the same area.
"Shooting children as they try to run to safety with their families — there are no words of condemnation strong enough for such despicable acts," U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein stated in the report. "I call on the Iraqi authorities to ensure that those who are responsible for these horrors are held accountable and brought to justice in line with international human rights laws and standards. The victims of such terrible crimes must not be forgotten."
The High Commissioner appealed to the Iraqi security forces as well as the Coalition to make sure that their operation to eradicate ISIS in Mosul will comply with the international humanitarian law and avoid more civilian deaths.
Meanwhile, ISIS announced that they are responsible for the attacks that happened within the vicinity of the Iranian Parliament's office as well as the shrine of the country's former supreme religious leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini on Wednesday, June 7, where 12 people were killed and 30 others were wounded.
According to reports, ISIS declared responsibility for the twin attacks through a video that was released through the Aamaq news agency.
The group is known to be hiding at a secret location in Mayadin, Syria.
