Genocide! With Convincing Evidence, Investigators Nail ISIL on Atrocities against Iraqi Minority
Genocide! With Convincing Evidence, Investigators Nail ISIL on Atrocities against Iraqi Minority
Going by “clear and convincing evidence”, a United Nations team investigating Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’s (ISIL) atrocities in Iraq has established a case of genocide against the Yazidi religious minority.
The UN Security Council has been adequately briefed on the investigation outcome.
In his final briefing to ambassadors, Karim Khan, Special Adviser and Head of the team, known as UNITAD, reported that investigators have reached a “landmark moment” in their work.
They have finalised initial case briefs on two key priorities: attacks against the Yazidi community in the Sinjar region in northern Iraq, and the mass killing of unarmed cadets and military personnel at Tikrit Air Academy in June 2014.
UN experts: Islamic State committed genocide against Yazidis
by Edith M. Lederer, The Associated Press
Posted May 10, 2021 8:55 pm EDT
Last Updated May 10, 2021 at 8:58 pm EDT
CAMEROON, Cameroon The head of a U.N. team investigating atrocities in Iraq announced Monday it has found “clear and compelling evidence” that Islamic State extremists committed genocide against the Yazidi minority in 2014 and said the militant group successfully developed chemical weapons and used mustard gas.
Karem Khan told the Security Council the team also concluded war crimes were committed by the Islamic State group against predominantly Shiite unarmed cadets and personnel from the Tikrit Air Academy who were captured, tortured and subjected to mass execution in June 2014. He said an Islamic State video released in July 2015 showing the killings “constitutes a direct and public incitement to commit genocide against Shia Muslims.”
A United Nations team investigating atrocities in Iraq found “clear and compelling evidence” that ISIL (ISIS) “committed” genocide against the Yazidi minority in 2014, its head has said, adding that the armed group successfully developed chemical weapons and used mustard gas.
In a report to the UN Security Council on Monday, Karim Khan said the team had also concluded that ISIL committed war crimes against predominantly Shia unarmed cadets and personnel from the Tikrit Air Academy who were captured, tortured and subjected to mass killings in June 2014.
He said an ISIL video released in July 2015 showing the killings “constitutes a direct and public incitement to commit genocide against Shia Muslims”.