Daesh rounds up human shields in Iraq, UN chief says

By Fatih Erel

GENEVA

Hundreds of families from around Mosul have been taken hostage by Daesh for use as human shields in the city, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said Friday.

In a statement, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein’s office said 550 families had been marched from two villages into the city on Monday, the day the operation to retake Mosul was launched. The statement added that reports of 40 civilians being shot dead in a village outside Mosul were also being investigated.

“We are gravely worried by reports that ISIL is using civilians in and around Mosul as human shields as the Iraqi forces advance, keeping civilians close to their offices or places where fighters are located, which may result in civilian casualties,” Zeid said, using an alternative acronym for Daesh.

The commissioner said there were particular concerns over Daesh captives, including women and children, especially those from ethnic or religious minorities.

“There is a grave danger that ISIL fighters will not only use such vulnerable people as human shields but may opt to kill them rather than see them liberated,” he said.

“The killings and abuses committed by ISIL fighters when they captured Mosul in 2014, and the horrors they have subjected its inhabitants to ever since, should leave us in no doubt as to the risk civilians face as the fighting for control of Mosul and surrounding areas continues.”

Zeid called for the Iraqi authorities to prevent militias operating alongside Iraqi security forces from carrying out revenge attacks on civilians fleeing Daesh.

“We are also concerned at reports that some civilians have no choice but to flee west -- that is further into ISIL-controlled territory -- where Shia militia are also believed to be operating,” he said.

In other Iraqi cities freed from Daesh, Shia Muslim militias have been accused of committing atrocities against Sunni Muslim civilians.