Nearly 8,000 families abducted by ISIL from Mosul vicinity - UN rights office
| Publisher | UN News Service |
| Publication Date | 28 October 2016 |
| Cite as | UN News Service, Nearly 8,000 families abducted by ISIL from Mosul vicinity - UN rights office, 28 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58235ad940c.html [accessed 30 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
28 October 2016 - Credible reports suggest that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) has been forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes in sub-districts around Mosul, including nearly 8,000 families the group abducted, since the operations to restore Iraqi Government control over Mosul began on 17 October, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said today.
“ISIL fighters are allegedly killing civilians who refuse to comply with ISIL's instructions or who previously belonged to the Iraqi Security Forces, including 232 civilians who were shot to death last Wednesday,” Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, told reporters in Geneva.
She said that reports indicate at least 5,370 families were abducted by ISIL from Shura sub-district, another 160 families from al-Qayyarah sub-district, 150 families from Hamam al-Alil sub-district and 2,210 families from Nimrud sub-district of al-Hamdaniya district.
Forced out by gunpoint, or killed if they resist, these people are reportedly being moved to strategic places where ISIL fighters are located, she said noting that, according to information received, 60,000 persons are currently residing in Hamam al-Alil, an ISIL stronghold with a previous population of 23,000.
Of the 232 civilians reportedly shot to death on Wednesday, 190 were former ISF personnel, she said. They were killed at the al-Ghazlani military base in Mosul. The other 42 civilians were reportedly shot in the head at the al-Izza military base after they refused to join ISIL, Ms. Shamdasani added.
