IS using "tens of thousands" as human shields in Mosul -U.N.

Record ID: 83681

  • Title: IS using "tens of thousands" as human shields in Mosul -U.N.
  • Date: 28th October 2016
  • Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (OCTOBER 28, 2016) (REUTERS) UNITED NATIONS BUILDING U.N. BRIEFING ONGOING JOURNALISTS AND U.N. STAFF (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.N. OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (OHCHR) SPOKESWOMAN, RAVINA SHAMDASANI, SAYING: "ISIL's (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) depraved cowardly strategy is to attempt to use the presence of civilian hostages to render certain points, areas or military forces immune from military operations, effectively using tens of thousands of women, men and children as human shields. Many of those who refused to comply were shot on the spot." CAMERAMAN U.N. STAFF AND JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.N. OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (OHCHR) SPOKESWOMAN, RAVINA SHAMDASANI, SAYING: "At least 5,370 families were abducted by ISIL from al-shura sub-district; another 160 families from al-Qayyarah sub-district; 150 families from Hammam al-Alil sub-district, and 2,210 families from Nimrud sub-district." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.N. OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (OHCHR) SPOKESWOMAN, RAVINA SHAMDASANI, SAYING: "We have received reports, I mean, there are some people who are admitting that they did exact revenge attacks against people that they are sure, quote unquote, people that they are sure were ISIL members. Some people say that: 'I saw this man coming and he killed my father, so I couldn't resist, I had to exact revenge...' Other people are calling for revenge attacks and again, it is unclear what the figures are, we don't have a comprehensive number." UNITED NATIONS BUILDING
  • Embargoed: 12th November 2016 11:12
  • Keywords: U.N. Mosul Iraq Islamic State human rights Ravina Shamdasani
  • Location: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
  • City: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
  • Country: Switzerland
  • Topics: Government/Politics,United Nations
  • Reuters ID: LVA00155X69TZ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Islamic State forces in Iraq have abducted "tens of thousands" of men, women and children from areas around Mosul and are using them as human shields in the city as Iraqi government troops advance, the U.N. Human Rights Office said on Friday (October 28).
    The ultra-hardline Sunni militants, known as ISIL, killed at least 232 people on Wednesday, including 190 former Iraqi security forces (ISF) and 42 civilians who refused to obey their orders, U.N. human rights spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said.
    "ISIL's (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) depraved cowardly strategy is to attempt to use the presence of civilian hostages to render certain points, areas or military forces immune from military operations, effectively using tens of thousands of women, men and children as human shields. Many of those who refused to comply were shot on the spot," Shamdasani told reporters during a news briefing in Geneva, adding nearly 8,000 families, of roughly six people each, were abducted in sub-districts including Shura.
    "At least 5,370 families were abducted by ISIL from al-shura sub-district; another 160 families from al-Qayyarah sub-district; 150 families from Hammam al-Alil sub-district, and 2,210 families from Nimrud sub-district," she said.
    Iranian-backed Iraqi Shi'ite paramilitary groups are about to launch an offensive on Islamic State positions west of Mosul, assisting in the military campaign to take back the city, a spokesman said on Friday.
    U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein has voiced deep concern at reports that some individuals in the areas south of Mosul have decided to enact revenge.
    "We have received reports, I mean, there are some people who are admitting that they did exact revenge attacks against people that they are sure, quote unquote, people that they are sure were ISIL members. Some people say that: 'I saw this man coming and he killed my father, so I couldn't resist, I had to exact revenge...' Other people are calling for revenge attacks and again, it is unclear what the figures are, we don't have a comprehensive number," Shamdasani said.
    Some villagers have also been prevented from returning to their villages due to their perceived support of ISIL, she said.
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