Mosul report 17Oct2016-10Jul2017, FINAL as of 30 October 2017 · battle for eastern Mosul, that...

UnitedNationsAssistanceMissionforIraq(UNAMI)

اعدة العـــــراقــــبعــثـــة األمـــم المـتــحـــدة لمس(یـــونــامي)

http://uniraq.org

ReportontheProtectionofCiviliansinthecontextoftheNinewaOperationsandtheretakingofMosulCity,17October2016–10

July2017

©RaberAziz/IOMIraq,2017

TableofContentsSummary......................................................................................................................................................1Introduction.................................................................................................................................................4Methodology................................................................................................................................................5Background..................................................................................................................................................5TimelineofEvents........................................................................................................................................6Civiliancasualties.........................................................................................................................................9Section1Phase1:theApproachtoMosulCity.........................................................................................11

1-A:ViolationsandabusesperpetratedbyISIL....................................................................................11§ Abductions................................................................................................................................11§ Ill-treatment/intimidation.......................................................................................................12§ Masskillings..............................................................................................................................13§ Forceddisplacementofthecivilianpopulationanduseofciviliansashumanshields............15§ Useofallegedchemicalagents.................................................................................................16§ Recruitmentanduseofchildren...............................................................................................17§ Destructionofcivilianobjects...................................................................................................17

1-B:ViolationscommittedbyISFandassociatedforces......................................................................18§ Abductionsandunlawfulkillings..............................................................................................18§ Shelling......................................................................................................................................18

1-C:Airstrikes.........................................................................................................................................191-DActsthatmayamounttocollectivepunishments.........................................................................19

Section2Phase2:theBattleforEasternMosul........................................................................................202-A:ViolationsandabusescommittedbyISIL......................................................................................20

§ Abductions................................................................................................................................20§ Masskillings..............................................................................................................................20§ AttacksusingIEDs.....................................................................................................................20§ TargetingcivilianstryingtofleeareascontrolledbyISIL..........................................................22§ ForceddisplacementofthecivilianpopulationbyISIL.............................................................23§ Useofciviliansashumanshields..............................................................................................23§ Shelling......................................................................................................................................23§ Attacksagainstmedicalpersonnel...........................................................................................24§ Destructionofcivilianobjects...................................................................................................24

2-B:ViolationscommittedbyISFandassociatedforces......................................................................24

§ Allegationsofill-treatment.......................................................................................................25§ Abductionsandunlawfulkillings..............................................................................................25

2-C:Airstrikes.........................................................................................................................................262-D:Actsthatmayamounttocollectivepunishments........................................................................26

§ Forceddisplacementandforcedevictions...............................................................................272-E.Incidentsattributabletounidentifiedperpetrators......................................................................27

§ Abductions................................................................................................................................27§ Killing.........................................................................................................................................27

Section3.....................................................................................................................................................28Phase3:theBattleforWesternMosul......................................................................................................28

3-A:ViolationsandabusescommittedbyISIL......................................................................................28§ Killings.......................................................................................................................................28§ UseofIEDsresultinginciviliancasualties.................................................................................29§ Targetingofcivilianstryingtofleeareascontrolledbythegroup...........................................30§ Useofciviliansashumanshields..............................................................................................31§ Shelling......................................................................................................................................32§ Allegeduseofweaponisedchemicalagents............................................................................33§ RecruitmentanduseofchildrenbyISIL...................................................................................34§ DestructionofcivilianobjectsandotherspecificallyprotectedobjectsbyISIL.......................34

3-B:ViolationscommittedbyISFandassociatedforces......................................................................35§ Abductionsandunlawfulkillings..............................................................................................35§ Shelling......................................................................................................................................36

3-C:Airstrikes.........................................................................................................................................363-D:Actsthatmayamounttocollectivepunishments........................................................................393-E.Incidentsattributabletounidentifiedperpetrators......................................................................41

§ Killings.......................................................................................................................................41§ Unidentifiedbodies...................................................................................................................42§ BodiesdeliveredtoISF..............................................................................................................42

Section4.....................................................................................................................................................42Discoveryofmassgraves...........................................................................................................................42Section5.....................................................................................................................................................44Impactofarmedconflictonjournalistsandmediapersonnelcoveringtheconflict.................................44Conclusionsandrecommendations...........................................................................................................46

1

ReportontheProtectionofCiviliansinthecontextoftheNinewaOperationsandtheretakingofMosulCity,17October2016–10July2017

SummaryThisreportcoverstheperiodoftheNinewamilitaryoperationsconductedbyIraqiSecurityForces(ISF),andaffiliatedarmedgroups—withairsupportprovidedbyOperationInherentResolve1andtheIraqiAirForce—toretakethecityofMosulandsurroundingareasfromtheIslamicStateofIraqandtheLevant(ISIL).Theoperations lasted from17October2016 to10 July2017andweredivided in threemilitaryphases.

The first phase of the operations to retakeMosul officially started on 17October 2016,when PrimeMinisterandCommanderofIraqiMilitaryForcesHaidarAl-Abadi,announcedthelaunchofthemilitaryoperation‘QademounyaNinewa’toreclaimareasunderISILcontrolinNinewaGovernorate,includingMosulCity.ThisfirstphaseofthebattlefocusedondistrictsandsubdistrictsofNinewaGovernorate,inparticular ruralareas in theapproach to thecityofMosul. Itwas followedby the secondphase—thebattle foreasternMosul, thatstarted inmid-November2016.On24 January2017,PrimeMinisterAl-AbadideclaredthatISFhadretakeneasternMosul.On19February2017,ISFcommencedthethirdandfinal phase of operations against ISIL in western Mosul. On 10 July 2017, Prime Minister Al-Abadipublicly announced from Mosul City that the third phase of the operations has been successfullycompletedwithwesternMosultotallyreclaimed.

TheUnitedNationsAssistanceMission for Iraq (UNAMI)and theOfficeof theHighCommissioner forHuman Rights (OHCHR) monitored the human rights situation throughout the operations, with anemphasisontheimpactofconductofhostilitiesonciviliansandcivilianobjects,andinvestigatedover650incidentsinvolvingallegationsofciviliancasualties.Thisreportdepictscategoriesofviolationsandabusesofhumanrights lawandviolationsof internationalhumanitarian lawbyparties to theconflictduringthethreephasesoftheoperations.

Priortothecommencementoftheoperations,UNAMI/OHCHRprovidedprinciplestotheGovernmentofIraqontheprotectionofciviliansbysecurityforcesduringtheconductofoperations,particularlyonthe conduct of security screening. The principles were transmitted to ISF and disseminated tocommandersofthemainfieldunitsinNinewaGovernorateandKurdistanRegionofIraq(KR-I)inArabic,Kurdish and English. In conformity with those principles, the Government of Iraq announced that

1CombinedJointTaskForceOperationInherentResolveisthenameforthecoalitioncreatedtoformalizemilitaryoperationsagainstISILinIraqandSyria.Foralistofstatesinvolvedseehttp://www.inherentresolve.mil/About-Us/Coalition/.

2

screeningwouldonlybeconductedbylawfullyauthorizedauthoritiesinclearlyidentifiedlocationsandwouldbe conducted in a transparentmannerwith safeguards inplace toensure that legal standardsand humanitarian needs would be respected. UNAMI/OHCHR visited screening sites throughout thephasesof theoperationandhadaccess tocertaindetention facilities,ordinaryandcounter-terrorismcourtsinNinewaandengagedwithjudgesandpenitentiaryofficialsregardingconflictrelateddetention.

Throughout the three phases, information gathered by UNAMI/OHCHR strongly suggests thatinternationalcrimesmayhavebeenperpetratedinIraqbyISIL.UNAMI/OHCHRinvestigatorsreceivedan overwhelming number of reports indicating serious and systematic violations of internationalhumanitarian lawandgrossviolationsandabusesofhumanrights lawthathavebeenperpetratedbyISIL. Reports include mass abductions of civilians and using thousands as human shields, killings ofcivilians, intentional shelling of civilians and civilians’ residences in what appears to be a deliberatepolicytopunishciviliansinreclaimedareas,andindiscriminatetargetingofcivilianstryingtofleeareasunderitscontrol.InearlyNovember2016,inareasofMosulunderISILcontrol,ISILannouncedthroughloud speakers that residents of areas retakenby ISFwere considered as “legitimate targets” becausetheywerenotfightingagainst ISF.Thisso-called ‘fatwa’wasaccompaniedbyasustainedcampaignofISILattacksoneasternMosulthatdirectlytargetedcivilians.Tacticsincludedshelling,useofimprovisedexplosivedevices(IEDs)andshootingfleeingcivilians.Additionally,ISILintroducedtheweaponisationofairbornedronesbyequippingthemwithexplosivestocarryoutattacksfromadistance.

WhileISILwasdefeatedinareasunderitscontrol,thegroupplantedahugenumberofIEDsinheavilypopulatedresidentialareaswithnoconsiderationoftheharmitmaycausetoresidentsbeforefleeingtheir areas. According to theUnitedNationsMine Action Service (UNMAS) Iraq, explosive hazards inMosul consistof extensive contaminationwith IEDs, somecontainingmultipleexplosive charges, thathave been placed to target returnees. In addition to IEDs there is also contamination with otherconventionalaswellasimprovisedammunitionthathasbeenfiredbuthasfailedtofunction,socalledunexploded ordnance (UXOs). For example, UNMAS reports that, in the al-Shifa hospital complex inwesternMosul,approximately1,500explosiveitemshavebeenrenderedsafeasof2October2017.Theitemsincludedspentammunition,IEDs,explosivevestsandhandgrenades.Additionally,theHighCourtbuilding in the same area contained approximately 1,000 items rendered safe as of the same date,including72aerial-deliveredIEDsand44explosivevests,includingonethatappearedtobetoosmallforadultuse.

The surveyandclearanceofexplosivehazards ismademoredifficultby theexistenceof rubble fromcollapsedbuildings.ItisexpectedthatexplosivecontaminationismoreextensiveinwesternMosulthanwhatwasencounteredineasternMosulandthatthecontaminationofbothIEDandUXOwillhamperthecleanupthecityformanymonthstocome.

ISILcontinueditsdeliberatecampaignofdestructionofcivilianobjectsandplacesofculturalorreligioussignificance, or desecration of religious sites. The destruction of cultural and religious sites, whichconstituted a policy for ISIL in areas under its control during its three-year rule, culminated in thedestructionon21June2017ofal-NuriMosqueanditsleaningminaretintheOldCityofMosul.Theal-Nurimosquewasbuilt inthe12thcenturyand itwasfromtherethat ISIL leaderAbuBakral-Baghdadiannouncedthecreationofanew“caliphate”on4July2014.

3

AtthestartofmilitaryoperationstoretakeMosul,ISILelementscarriedoutsystematicmassabductionsinallareasunderthecontrolofthegrouporwhilewithdrawingfromareaslaterreclaimedbyISF.ISILforcibly moved thousands of civilians into conflict zones and locations where ISIL was conductingmilitaryoperationstodeliberatelyplacethembetweenISFandtheirownforces,andtoincreaseciviliancasualties from military operations, including air raids and ground engagements. While waves ofabductionsby ISIL targetedprimarilycivilians insouthandeastofMosulsubdistrict, ISILalsotargetedformermembers of ISF and their families, and familieswhosemembers have joined pro-governmentforces.ISILalsotargetedthosewhowereperceivedbythegroupaspro-ISF,orthosewhoattemptedtofleeISILcontrolledareas.

Bythethirdphase,andasmoreterritorieswerebeingretakenfromISIL,massgravescontinuedtobediscovered.SinceJune2014,atleast74massgraveswerediscoveredinareaspreviouslyheldbyISILinIraq.2Whilesomecontainedonlyseveralbodies,othersareestimatedtocontaintheremainsofuptothousandsofvictims.Exhumationshavebeenmainlyconductedwithregardtomasskillings,suchastheCampSpeichermasskillinginJune2014,andremaintobedoneinalargenumberofcases.Somemassgraveswerediscovered inplaceswhere ISILcarriedoutmasskillings, including inKochovillage,Sinjardistrict of Ninewa Governorate, the Badoush Prison of Mosul district and the al-Khasfa sinkhole ofAlathbavillageofHamamal-AlilsubdistrictofMosuldistrict.

Withregardto ISFandassociatedforces,UNAMI/OHCHRrecorded instancesofallegedviolationsandabuses of human rights. In some cases, the information available suggested the involvement of ISFmembers, but conclusive information could not be obtained. In other cases, alleged incidents werefilmedonvideosthatwerepostedonsocialmedia.UNAMI/OHCHRadvocatedwithIraqiauthoritiesforpromptandthoroughinvestigationstobecarriedoutandforthoseresponsibletobebroughttojustice.For example, on 24 May, the Ministry of Interior announced the opening of an investigation onallegations of violations committed by its forces fighting ISIL in Ninewa. The allegations were firstreported by the German magazine Der Spiegel. Four Emergency Response Division members werereportedlyarrestedfor investigation. On17August, Iraqiauthoritiesannouncedonsocialmediathat,aftercompletingtheinvestigations,theycoulddeterminethatsomeoftheallegedviolationsoccurredandthoseaccusedhavebeenreferredtothejudiciary.Atthesametime,itisalsostatedthatsomeofthe allegations reported by the magazine were inaccurate. No details on specific allegations wereprovided.

AirstrikesalsoclaimedcivilianlivesanddamagedcivilianpropertyandinfrastructureinareasunderthecontrolofISILduringtheperiodcoveredbythisreport.InmanyinvestigationsUNAMI/OHCHRwasnotable todetermine responsibilitydue to insufficient informationor contradictory statements regardingtheincidents.

UNAMI/OHCHR also documented instances of threats to families alleged to have ISIL-affiliatedmembersandforcedevictions. Insomecases,unidentifiedgroupsmadethethreatsthroughso-callednight lettersorderingpeopleto leaveor facedireconsequences. Inothercases, localauthoritiestook

2Updateof23August2017

4

the lead or have followed thewave of resentment amongst certain segments of the population; anddisregardingrespectofruleoflaw.

Mediapersonnelalsosufferedcasualtieswhilecoveringthefighting.Atleastfivemediastaffwerekilledandatleast19otherswerewounded.

UNAMI/OHCHRregularlyadvocatedwithnationalandinternationalactorswithregardtoprotectionofcivilians and the respect of principles of international humanitarian law, notably those of distinction,proportionality and precautions in attacks and against the effects of attacks. This advocacy has beenconsistently undertakenwithboth senior government andmilitary leaders, aswell at theoperationallevelwithunitcommanders.

Ensuringaccountabilityfortheabusesandviolationsofinternationalhumanrightslawandinternationalhumanitarianlaw,includingthoseconstitutinginternationalcrimes,allegedlycommittedinthecontextof theongoingarmedconflict, nomatterwhen,whereorbywhomsuch crimes, violationsor abuseswerecommitted,remainsasignificantchallenge.Presently,theIraqicourtsdonothavejurisdictionoverinternational crimes committed in Iraq. Additionally, Iraq is not a Party to the Statute of theInternationalCriminalCourtandhasnotacceptedthejurisdictionoftheCourtunderarticle12(3)ofitsStatute. The Government is currently examining national and international mechanisms to addressinternationalcrimescommittedbyISIL.

According to the International Organization for Migration, as of 11 July, 137,339 families (824,034individuals) were displaced as a result of the Mosul operations which began on 17 October 2016.3Women, children, people with disabilities, aged persons and persons from Iraq’s diverse ethnic andreligiouscommunitiesremainparticularlyvulnerableandareinneedofurgentsupportandassistance.

Introduction This reporton theProtectionofCivilians in thecontextof theNinewaOperationsand the retakingofMosulCity,17October2016–10July2017ispublishedbytheHumanRightsOfficeofUnitedNationsAssistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) in cooperation with the Office of the United Nations HighCommissionerforHumanRights(OHCHR),undertheirrespectivemandates.4

This report presents a summary of incidents investigated and verified by UNAMI/OHCHR involvingviolations and abuses of international human rights and violations of international humanitarian lawlinked to the non-international armed conflict between the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and affiliatedarmedgroups,andtheso-calledIslamicStateofIraqandtheLevant(ISIL).5

3http://iraqdtm.iom.int/EmergencyTracking.aspx(accessed11July).4 Inresolution1770of10August2006,theUnitedNationsSecurityCouncilrequestedUNAMIto“promotetheprotectionofhumanrightsandjudicialandlegalreforminordertostrengthentheruleoflawinIraq…”(paragraph2(c)).UNAMImandatewas extended in the same terms for 2016/2017by Security Council resolution 2367of 14 July 2017. In accordancewith itsmandate,UNAMIHumanRightsOfficeconductsarangeofactivitiesaimedatpromotingtheprotectionofcivilians inarmedconflict, includingundertaking independentand impartialmonitoringof,andreportingon,armedviolenceand its impactonciviliansandonviolationsofinternationalhumanitarianlawandinternationalhumanrightslaw.5Forbackgroundon ISILseeUNAMI/OHCHR,Reporton theProtectionofCivilians in theNon InternationalArmedConflict inIraq:5June–5July2014(18August2014)availableonlineat

5

This report covers the period of themilitary operations by ISF and affiliated armed groups to retakeareasofNinewaGovernorateandMosulcityfromISIL.Theoperationslastedfrom17October2016to10July2017.

MethodologyThe informationcontained in this report isbased,wherepossible,onaccountsobtaineddirectly fromthevictims, survivors,orwitnessesof violationsandabusesof internationalhuman rights lawand/orviolations of international humanitarian law. UNAMI/OHCHR continued to conduct interviews withinternally displacedpersons (IDPs) in theKR-I andNinewaGovernorate aswell aswithother victims,survivors, and witnesses of incidents.6 Information was also obtained from a variety of sources,7including government and non-government organizations, representatives of civil society and otherUnited Nations entities. Unless specifically stated, all information presented in this report has beencross-checkedandverifiedusingindependent,credible,andreliablesources.

ThesecuritysituationinIraqhasaffectedthecapacityofUNAMI/OHCHRtoundertakedirectmonitoringand verification of many incidents in many areas of the country. UNAMI/OHCHR has encountereddifficultiesinverifyingincidentsthattookplaceinconflictareasandinareasunderISILcontrol.Insomecases, sourceswere reluctant to speak toUNAMI/OHCHRdue to threats, intimidation, and/or fearofreprisal.Asaresult,theactualnumbersofciviliancasualtiesandscaleofincidentscouldbemuchhigherthan those recordedbyUNAMI/OHCHR.Furthermore,examplesofviolationsandabusescontained inthisreportareemblematicanddonotpresentanexhaustiveaccountofallabusesandviolationsthatwerereportedtoUNAMI/OHCHRandverified.

BackgroundMosul, a city with an estimated population of more than 1.5 million inhabitants, fell to ISIL in June2014;8itwasretakenbyISFafternearlythreeyearsofbeingunderthecontrolofISIL.

On 17 October 2016, ISF launched operation ‘Qademoun Ya Ninewa’ to retake territories under thecontrolof ISIL inNinewaGovernorate, inparticularMosulCity. IraqiSecurityForces includedFederalPolice,IraqiArmy,Counter-TerrorismForces,Peshmerga,thePopularMobilizationUnits(PMUs),TribalMobilizationUnits,andalliedtribalandlocalvolunteers,withairsupportbyOperationInherentResolve

http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/IQ/UNAMI_OHCHR_POC%20Report_FINAL_18July2014A.pdf (accessed 29 April2017)6SincethefallofMosulin2014,intotalUNAMI/OHCHRhadconducted1033interviewswithvictims/witnessesofhumanrightsviolations/abuses and IDPs in areas where they have concentrated regarding incidents taking place throughout Iraq.UNAMI/OHCHRalsoconductstelephoneinterviewswithvictimsandwitnessesofhumanrightsviolations/abuses,civilianswhoremaintrappedinISIL-controlledareasorwhohavefledtootherareasofIraq.7 These include Government officials and institutions, local and international media, local non-governmental organizations,human rights defenders, tribal leaders, religious leaders, political figures, and civil society actors, aswell as UnitedNationsentitiesoperatinginIraq.8OnISILtakeoverofMosul inJune2014,seeReportontheProtectionofCiviliansintheNonInternationalarmedConflict inIraq: 5 June – 5 July 2014, at http://www.uniraq.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=2220:report-on-the-protection-of-civilians-in-the-non-international-armed-conflict-in-iraq-5-june-5-july-2014&Itemid=650&lang=en (accessed 25June2017).

6

andtheIraqiAirForce.Thesameday,thePresidentoftheIraqiRepublic,FuadMasum,addressedtheArmed Forces reminding them to respect and protect civilians.9 Based on the lessons learned fromprevious operations against ISIL in Ramadi, Tikrit and Fallujah, the Government of Iraq adopted ahumanitarianconceptofoperationstobeusedbytheISF,whichprioritizedtheprotectionofciviliansinboththeplanningandtheconductofthemilitaryoperations.Thiswasalsosupportedbyseniorreligiousfigures in Iraq, who urged them tomake utmost efforts to secure civilian lives. Also on 17 October,President of the KR-I Masoud Barzani announced the contribution of KR-I forces in the campaign,includingPeshmerga,Zerevani,ProtectionForces,andEmergencyForces.

On20October,IraqiPrimeMinisterAl-AbadiaddressedaninternationalmeetinginParisonthefutureof Mosul stating ‘We will not allow violations of human rights, and we will set up investigationcommittees’. He added that the State had brought people to trial, some of whom for violations ofhuman rightsduring the courseof thebattles.Hepraised thegreat cooperationbetweenPeshmergaand ISF and noted that the majority of air strikes were conducted by the Iraqi Air Force and thatcoalition forces were only providing logistic support.10 President of the KR-I, Masoud Barzani alsostressedon16October2016theimportanceofpreservinglivesofcivilianswhileconductinghostilities,andthatlegalactionwouldbetakenagainstmilitarypersonnelcommittingbreaches.

Inhispressstatementof21October2016,theHighCommissionerforHumanRights,Mr.ZeidRa’adal-Husseinwelcomed“(…)thepublicstatementsbyIraq’sleadersthattheutmosteffortswillbemadetoprotect civilians, as requiredby internationalhumanitarian law.”11Also, inhisbriefing to the SecurityCouncil on 9 November 2016,Mr. Jan Kubiš, Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Iraqnotedthatbasedon lessons learnedfromthepast, fortheMosuloperations,theGovernmentof IraqandtheleadershipofISFandPMUprioritizedtheprotectionofciviliansinanunprecedentedwayintheplanning and conduct of the military operations, fully cognizant of its domestic and internationalcommitmentsandobligations,politicalimplicationsandreputationalrisk.12

TimelineofEventsBelowarethemaineventsofthemilitaryoperations:

2013

AttheendofDecember,ISILseizedFallujahCityinAnbarGovernorate.

2014

InearlyJune,ISILlaunchedaseriesofattacksacrossseveralfrontsinabidtoseizeareasandbuildingsinthegovernoratesofSalahal-Din,Ninewa,andDiyala.

By10June,ISILhadfullcontrolofMosulCity.

9http://presidency.iq/Details.aspx?id=6162(accessed25April2017)10https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=100CW-OragE(accessed25April2017)11http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=20729(accessed24August2017).12http://www.uniraq.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=5835:briefing-to-the-security-council-by-srsg-for-iraq-jan-kubis-new-york-9-november-2016-as-prepared&Itemid=728&lang=en(accessed24August2017).

7

AttheendofOctober,ISFandPMUsretookJurf-alSakhrinBabilGovernorate.

2015

On31March,theIraqiPrimeMinisterannouncedtheliberationofTikrit,Salahal-DinGovernorate.

On18May,ISILtookcontrolofRamadiCityinAnbarGovernorate.

On13November,KR-IforcesretookSinjarinNinewaGovernorate.

On28December,ISFretookRamadiCity.

2016

On17June,ISFretookFallujahCityinAnbarGovernorate.

On25August,ISFretookfromISILthetownofQayyarainNinewaGovernorate.

On 21 October, ISF retook the town of Bartilla (also spelled Bartella), around 15 kilometers east ofMosul.

On 6 November, ISF announced to have retaken the centre of Hammam al-Alil, about 15 kilometerssouthofMosul.

On8November,KR-ISecurityForcesannouncedtohaveretakenthetownofBashiqa,eastofMosul.

On 13 November, ISF announced to have retaken the ancient city of Nimrud, around 30 kilometerssoutheastofMosul.Theremainsof theancientcityhadbeendestroyedordamagedby ISIL inMarch2015.13

On28December,thelastremainingbridgeontheTigrisRiverconnectingtheeasternandwesternsidesofMosulwasreportedlydisabledbyanairstrike.

2017

On24January,theIraqiPrimeMinisterdeclaredeasternMosulliberated.14

On19February,ISFlaunchedanoffensivetoretakeMosul’swesternhalf.

On 13 March, the Iraqi Air Force dropped hundreds of thousands of leaflets in the ISIL-controlledneighbourhoodsofthewesternMosulcity,requestingpeopletotakesafetymeasuresbylisteningtoISFinstructions on radios, not leaving their home, staying away from ISIL compounds, keeping first aidmedicationsaround,usingcellphonesonlyinurgentsituations,andcontactingISFverycarefully.

On14March,IraqiPrimeMinisterAl-AbadiemphasisedagainthattheprotectionofciviliansisapriorityinthebattleandalsopledgedtotreatthefamiliesofISILfightersfairly.15

On 12 April, Iraqi Air Force dropped hundreds of thousands of leaflets in the ISIL-controlled

13 http://www.uniraq.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=4058:report-on-the-protection-of-civilians-in-the-armed-conflict-in-iraq-11-december-2014-30-april-2015&Itemid=650&lang=en(accessed29April2017)14http://www.pmo.iq/press2017/24-1-20171.htm(accessed25January2017)15 Recorded press conference : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO53_lis69g&feature=youtu.be14 (accessed 21 March2017)

8

neighbourhoods in western Mosul urging civilians to take safety measures and avoid being used ashuman shields by ISIL and instructing them to: stay at home, lock the doors and stay away fromwindows;stayonefamilyinahouse;gotothebasement(ifany)whenclasheserupt;trytoleavetheirhouseand sneakout instantly, if ISILuse it for carryingout attacks against ISF, and send informationaboutexactlocationofISIL.

On 26 April, PMUs stated they took the ancient city of Hatra, around 100 kilometers southwest ofMosul.TheremainsoftheancientcityhadbeendamagedbyISILinMarch2015.16

On4May,ISFannouncedtohavelaunchedanattackagainstISILfromnorthwesternMosul.

On15May,the IraqiAirForcedroppedthousandsof leaflets inthe ISIL-controlledneighbourhoodsofwesternMosul,urgingtheciviliansnottousetheircarsormotorcyclesforanyreason,asISILusesuchvehiclestoattackISF.Theleafletfurtherwarnedthat ISFwouldtargetanyvehicleormotorcyclefromtheeveningof15May.

On20May, Iraq’sSpecialForcesdeclared theiraspectof themission to retakeMosulcompleted,butdeclaredtheystoodreadytosupportanyotherforcesiforderedtodosobythePrimeMinister.

On 23 May, PMUs announced the end of their operations to retake Qairawan subdistrict of Sinjardistrict. PMUs,with support from the IraqiAir Force, commenced theoperations to retakeQairawansubdistricton12May.

On 24 May, the Ministry of Interior announced the opening of an investigation on allegations ofviolationscommittedby its forces fighting ISIL inNinewa.17Theallegationswere first reportedby theGermanmagazineDerSpiegel.

On 25 May, the Iraqi Air Force reportedly dropped thousands of leaflets in the ISIL-controlledneighbourhoods of al-Shaffa, Zanjilly and the Old City, urging civilians to flee towards ISF-controlledneighbourhoodsthroughsecuredcorridors.UNAMI/OHCHRcouldnotobtainacopyoftheleaflet.

On27May, ISFannounced the launchofoperations to retake the last areasofMosulCity still undercontrolofISIL.

On2June,ISFannouncedtohaveretakentheSihhaneighbourhood;ISILremainedstillincontroloftheOldCitycentre,ZanjiliandtheMedicalCity.

On4June,PMUsannouncedtohaveretakenBaajtown,westofMosulCity.

On13June,ISFannouncedtohaveretakenZanjilineighbourhood,northoftheOldCity.On18June,ISFlaunchedanassaulttoretaketheOldCityinwesternMosul.On20June,ISFannouncedtohaveretakenal-ShifaaneighbourhoodandtohaveencircledtheOldCity.

Themorningof18 June, the IraqiAir Forcedropped thousandsof leafletsover theOldCityofMosulalertingciviliansofthefinalISFoperationstoretakeMosul.Civilianswereaskedtotakeanyopportunity

16 http://www.uniraq.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=4058:report-on-the-protection-of-civilians-in-the-armed-conflict-in-iraq-11-december-2014-30-april-2015&Itemid=650&lang=en(accessed29April2017)17http://www.moi.gov.iq/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2533(accessed24May)

9

tofleethroughsecurecorridorsopenedbyISF.

On21June,ISILusingexplosivesdestroyedtheal-NuriMosqueanditsminaretintheOldCity.

On28June,ISFcapturedthecompoundoftheal-NurimosqueblownupbyISILoneweekearlier.

On10July,PrimeMinisterAl-AbadideclaredvictoryoverISILintheoperationstoreclaimthecity.

On 10 July, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Iraq, Mr. Ján Kubiš,congratulatedthepeopleandGovernmentof Iraqonthe liberationofMosul fromISIL.Mr.Kubišsaid“The credit goes first and foremost to the Iraqis themselves. Heroism and martyrdom of the IraqiSecurity Forces, the Popular Mobilization Forces, the Peshmerga, and tribal units, with the militarybackingoftheInternationalCoalition,wereinstrumentalinachievingthisvictory.”18On11July,theUNHighCommissioner forHumanRights,Mr.ZeidRa’adAlHussein,mentionedtheserioushumanrightsviolationssufferedbyIraqisunderISILandstatedthatretakingofMosulfromISILbyIraqiGovernmentforces, supported by their International Coalition partners, marked a significant turning point in theconflict,butIraqfacesaseriesofhumanrightschallengeswhich,ifleftunaddressed,arelikelytosparkfurther violence and civilian suffering. He stated that threats of collective punishment are an act ofvengeancethatworksagainstnationalreconciliationandsocialcohesion.Heurgedto“(…)tostepupeffortstocreateanIraqgroundedinequalityandtheruleoflaw”.19

On29September,apressreleasebyOperationInherentResolvestatedthat1200-1500membersoftheISF had been killed in the operations to liberate Mosul and a further approximate 8,000 werewounded.20NofigureswereavailableregardingofISILfighterswhohadbeenkilledorwounded.

CiviliancasualtiesFromthestartofmilitaryoperationson17October2016tothepublicannouncementoftheliberationof Mosul on 10 July 2017, UNAMI/OHCHR recorded in Ninewa Governorate at least 4194 civiliancasualties (2521 killed and 1673 wounded).21 For reasons stated above, these figures should beconsidered as an absoluteminimum. Additionally, the Civil Defence Corps,22 as of 26October 2017,reportedthattheyhadrecoveredtheremainsof1,642civiliansfromunderneathrubbleinMosul,23ofwhich1639werefoundinwesternMosul—aclearindicationoftheintensityoffightingandthedurationoftheoperationtoretakethefinalpartofthecity.

The tactics that caused the highest numbers of civilian casualties during the fighting to retakeMosulwere:shelling(1421,ofwhich1357causedbyISIL),airstrikes(1091),execution-stylekillingsbyISIL(741)18http://www.uniraq.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=7523:un-s-kubis-congratulates-iraqis-on-the-liberation-of-mosul-a-historic-victory-for-iraq-and-the-world-and-a-resounding-defeat-for-daesh-and-terrorism-signaling-their-end-more-work-ahead-for-iraq-on-road-to-recovery-and-lasting-peace&Itemid=605&lang=en(accessed23August2017)19http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=21860&LangID=E(accessed23August2017)20http://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PRESS-RELEASES/Press-Release-View/Article/1329187/combined-joint-task-force-operation-inherent-resolve-monthly-civilian-casualty/(accessed1October2017).21Thesefiguresshouldbeconsideredasaminimum.22TheCivilDefenceCorpsfallswithintheMinistryofInterior.23 The Civil Defence Corps stated to UNAMI/OHCHR that they only collect bodies of civilians from the rubble whereas theMunicipalityandHealthDirectorateareresponsibleforcollectingISILbodies.NofigureswereavailablefromtheMunicipalityatthetimeofwriting.

10

and attacks using vehicles laden with explosives by ISIL (233). With respect to airstrikes, OperationInherentResolve,whenreviewingincidentsinvolvingclaimsofciviliancasualties,assessedanumberofreports as credible that involved in the deaths of 295 civilians, 66 wounded and 36 remainingunaccountedfor.24Responsbilityfortheremainingcasualtiescouldnotbeattributed.

The impact of the various tactics on civilians was markedly different in the various phases of theoperations.Forexample,massexecution-stylekillingsbyISILwerepredominantlycarriedoutinthefirstphase of the battle during the approach to the city.During a two-week period (17-29October 2016)alone, ISIL killed around 550 civilians and former ISFmembers in districts and subdistricts ofNinewaGovernoratethatlayintheapproachtoMosul.Inonesingleinstance,on26October,ISILallegedlyshotandkilled190formerISFpersonnelintheal-GhazlanimilitarybaseinMosul.

ShellingbyISILineasternMosul25causedmorethanfourtimesasmanycivilianscasualtiesasinwesternMosul:261069casualties(285killedand784wounded)wererecordedintheformer,while258(98killedand160wounded)inthelatter.

As to suicide attacks by ISIL (both through body-borne IEDs and vehicle-borne IEDs) causing civiliancasualties,29incidentswererecordedineasternMosulfrommid-November2016onwards(thelastoneoccurredon23June2017,aftereasternMosulhadbeenretaken),killing68civiliansandwounding122others.TheuseofsuicideattacksbyISILinwesternMosulwasnotasprominent:from19February2017onwards only three incidents were recorded, killing 24 civilians andwounding 32 others. The use ofdrones carrying explosives was frequent in eastern Mosul, with 19 incidents recorded causing 151civiliancasualties (42killedand99wounded). Theuseofdroneswas less frequent inwesternMosul,withtwoincidentscausing28civiliancasualties(14killedand14wounded).

With regard toairstrikes,whileduring theoperations to retakeeasternMosul theycaused40civiliancasualties (29 killed and 11 wounded), their civilian toll increased significantly in the operations toretakewesternMosul,totaling700civiliancasualties(461killedand239wounded).Theairstrikeknownto have caused the highest number of civilian casualties took place on 17March: 105 civilians werekilled,with36othersunaccountedfor,inal-JadidaneighbourhoodofwesternMosul.27

Theactualnumberofciviliancasualtiesfromtheincidentsdescribedabovecouldbemuchhigherthanrecorded.Additionally, thenumberof civilianswhohavedied fromthe secondaryeffectsof violence,suchaslackofaccesstofood,waterormedicineorwhoseremainsareyettoberecoveredisunknown.Children, pregnant women, persons with disabilities, and elderly people remained particularlyvulnerablebutowing to restrictionsonaccessing information, the impactofviolenceon thesegroupsremainscurrentlyunquantifiable.24OperationInherentResolvepublishesmonthlyreportsonitsinvestigationsintociviliancasualties,see“CombinedJointTaskForce—OperationInherentResolveMonthlyCiviianCasualtyReport”,http://www.inherentresolve.mil(accessed30October).25Frommid-November2016until19May.EasternMosulcontinuedtobetargetedbyISILthroughshellingandsuicideattacksalsoafterithadbeenretakenbyISFon24January2017.26From19Februaryuntil9July.27http://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PRESS-RELEASES/Press-Release-View/Article/1193763/cjtf-oir-completes-airstrike-investigation/(accessed24August2017).

11

During rescue operations carried out in Mosul, some members of the Yezidi community previouslyabductedbyISILwerefoundamidsttherubbleorwhenclearingbuildingsinsearchforISILfighters.Forexample,on30June,IraqiArmymembersfoundthreeYezidicivilians—twochildrenandaman—intheal-MaydanneighbourhoodoftheOldCity inwesternMosul.On9August, IraqiFederalPolicefoundaYezidigirlinthebasementofahouseinSina’neighbourhoodofwesternMosul.

AccordingtotheInternationalOrganizationforMigration(IOM),asof11July,137,339families(824,034individuals)weredisplacedasaresultoftheMosuloperations,whichbeganon17October2016.28

Section1Phase1:theApproachtoMosulCityThisphaseofthemilitaryoperationsfocusedonthosedistrictsandsubdistrictsofNinewaGovernoratethatlayintheapproachtoMosulfromthesouthandtheeast.Bytheendofthisphase,ISFreclaimedal-Shura,Hamamal-Alil, al-QayarrahsubdistrictsofMosulDistrict,NimrodandBartilla subdistrictsofal-Hamadaniyadistrict,al-QayrawansubdistrictofSinjardistrict,al-Talsubdistrictal-Hatradistrict,andaL-Qahtaniyahsubdistrictofal-Baajdistrict.

1-A:ViolationsandabusesperpetratedbyISIL

§ Abductions

UNAMI/OHCHRdocumented instances involvingtheabductionof thousandsofcivilianscarriedoutbyISIL.ISILalsoabductedformerISFpersonneltoholdthemincaptivityforfearofretaliationorofpossiblecollaborationwithISFortopunishthemorkillthemfortheirformerfunctions.Reportswerereceivedthatmanyabducteesweresubsequentlykilledby ISIL.Abductions startedon thevery firstdayof theoffensive to retake Mosul. Unless otherwise mentioned, UNAMI/OHCHR could not determine thewhereaboutsofthoseabducted.BelowaresomeoftheincidentsdocumentedbyUNAMI/OHCHR.

On17October2016, ISILabducted15menfromZuweiyavillage,al-QayyarahsubdistrictofMosul.Onthe same day, ISIL abducted 22men from al-Hood village in al-Qayyarah subdistrict ofMosul. In theearlymorning of 18October, ISIL also allegedly abducted 100 families from al-Hood village and tookthemtoZuweiyavillage.Onthesameday,70familieswerereportedlylaterreleased.

In themorning of 20 October, ISIL reportedly abducted about 100male civilians in Sufeya village ofShurasubdistrictofMosul.Thevictimswerereportedlyputonfivemini-busesandtakentoanunknowndestination.Theabductees included former IraqiArmyofficers (whohaddeclared repentance to ISIL)andformerNinewaGovernorateemployees.

On 23 October, ISIL took away five imams from the al-Zuhour area of easternMosul on charges ofprovokingandencouragingpeopletorebelagainstthegroup.

On1November, ISILorderedresidentsoftheal-Kadhraarea ineasternMosulcitytogatherandthenabductedanunknownnumberofformerISFmembers,takingthemtoanunknowndestination.

28http://iraqdtm.iom.int/EmergencyTracking.aspx(accessed11July2017).

12

On2or3November,ISILallegedlyabductedatleast30sheikhs(fromtheBuMitauittribe)fromKhansi,PesskiandUmAmervillagesinQayrwan(Balij)subdistrictofSinjardistrictandreportedlytookthemtoanunknowndestinationwhere18wereexecuted.ISILwasreportedlywarythatthevictimswouldfightthegroupwhenISFstartedoperationstoreclaimQayrwansubdistrict.Forthesamereason,between1and 4 November, ISIL allegedly abducted at least 195 former ISF personnel from Tel al-Saman, AbuMaria,TamaratandandMazarathreevillagesinTalafardistrict.

On 4 November, ISIL allegedly brought an unspecified number of Yezidi women to Talafar town andplacedtheminaschool.ISILthenreportedlysoldsomeofthewomentoitsmilitants.Asourcereportedthatfrom27OctoberuntilthebeginningofNovember,ISILtookbetween64and70Yezidiwomenfrom:AyadiyahsubdistrictofTalafar,MuhalabiyasubdistrictofMosulandfromQayrawansubdistrictofSinjardistrict,tothe17TamouzneighbourhoodinwesternMosulCity.

On7November, ISFtogetherwiththeEngineeringUnitsof thePeshmerga, reportedly found inShurasubdistrict ofMosul an underground prison containing 961 persons. Those kept captivewere Sunnis,with most of them allegedly being former ISF officers, and some of them members of the IslamicPolitical Party. The abductees reportedly exhibited torture signs on their bodies and suffered frommalnutrition. One source reported that the prison had cages and rooms measuring 1 meter by 0.5meter.ISILreportedlyprovidedfoodtotheabducteesonceadayandallegedlysystematicallytorturedtheabductees.

On7November,a75-yearoldmanandathree-yearoldgirldiedofasphyxiareportedlyinanISILprisonin al-Farouq neighbourhood in western Mosul City. Reportedly their deaths were as a result ofovercrowdingandpoorventilationinasmallroomwheretheywerebeingheld.

§ Ill-treatment/intimidation

WiththestartofMosuloperations,andinanattempttoterrorizethepopulationunderitscontrolandcontain any possibility of the local populace rising up against them, ISIL launched a campaign ofintimidation against the residents of Ninewa Governorate, in particular of those in Mosul districtthroughthedistributionofthreateningpamphletsandpublicannouncementandspeechesatmosques.ISILlaunchedathreateningcalltoallresidentsofMosultohandoversubscriberidentitymodule(SIM)cardsformobilephonesotherwisetheywouldbeseverelypunished.PamphletsincludedthreatstokillanyonewhocollaborateswithISForwhotriestofleetowardsISFareas.

Ontheafternoonof19October,ISILreportedlyabductedsixmenfromtheirhomesandtiedtheirhandstoavehicleanddraggedthembehinditthroughSafinavillage,ShurasubdistrictofMosul,forreportedlybeingrelatedtoatribal leaderfightingISILwithISF.Themenwerealsoallegedlypubliclybeatenwithsticksandgunbutts.Thewhereaboutsofthevictimsremainsunknown.Onthesameday,ISILso-calledmoralitypolice‘alHisba’putmarksonclosedstoresinMosulcityorderingownerstoresumebusinessasusualorfacepunishment,andfurtherintimidatingthemamidstongoingmilitaryoperations.

On 4 November, ISIL reportedly told residents of al-Kathra neighbourhood of easternMosul to stayindoorsorbeshotdespiteongoingriskofshellinginthearea.ISILallegedlyfearedthatcivilianswouldfleetowardsISFpositions.

13

Intheeveningof5November, ISILmilitantsallegedlywentaroundneighbourhoods inMosulordering(through loudspeakersmountedonvehicles) residents todemonstrate in themorningof6NovemberagainstISFandtheongoingMosuloperations.ISILallegedlythreatenedtopunishthosewhowouldnotcomplywiththeorder.

On10November,ISILpostedonitsWilayatal-Jazeerawebsitephotosofvictimskilledbythegroupforcommittingbreachesof‘shari’alaw’.Photosincludethekillingofacigarettemerchantandcuttingoffahandof a alleged thief. The exact dates and locationsof the killings arenot known. In somephotos,children are seen witnessing the announcement of orders and implementation of the punishments.UNAMI/OHCHRcouldnotverifythisincidentortheauthenticityofthephotos.

ISILsystematicallyforcedresidentstovacatetheirplacesoforiginandforciblydisplacedthemtootherlocationswithinthesubdistrictsofNinewa,includinginsideMosulfromitseasternsidetothewestern.29

§ Masskillings

UNAMI/OHCHRdocumentedmany instancesof killings carriedoutby ISIL either in areas surroundingMosulorinMosulCityitself.Insomecases,inparticularwhenformerISFpersonnelwerethevictims,itappearedthatISILconsideredthemasapossiblethreatinthecontextofISFoperationstoretakeMosul.Inothercases,peoplewerekilledfornothavingfollowedtherulesorordersissuedbythegrouporforrefusingthatISILusetheirhousesformilitarypurposes.Inmanyinstances,ISILleftthebodiesonpublicdisplayasawarningtothepopulationtoabidebytheircommandsorfacethesamepunishment.

Inthemorningof17October2016,residentsofLazagaandZuweiyavillages,al-Qayyarahsubdistrict(50kmsouthof)Mosul, foughtagainst ISILkillingthreeof thegroup’smembersandburningonevehicle.ISILabductedeightyoungmenfromthevillage,shotthemintheheadandleftthemattheentranceofthevillage.

In themorning of 18October, ISIL took an unknown number ofmen and abducted others in al-Sertvillage (also known as Hamdiya al Charkiya), al-Qayyarah subdistrict ofMosul. On the same day, ISILallegedlyshotandkilled12civiliansintheTlulNasirvillage,al-QayyarahsubdistrictofMosulreportedlyforincitingresidentsofthevillagetorebelagainstthegroup.

Repeated killings by ISIL in Hamam al-Alil were reported in the days from 19 to 23 October. On 19October, ISIL allegedly killed 30 civilians in a former Iraqi Army shooting range known asMaidan al-Rimaya located at the University of Agriculture in Hamam al-Alil City Center. On 20 October, ISILreportedly killed an additional 10 civilians in the same location. The victims had allegedly beenabducted,togetherwithabout350othercivilians,fromLazaga(alsoknownasUpperHudvillage)andal-Hud villages in al-Qayyarah subdistrict of Mosul and from Shura subdistrict, also of Mosul, on 18October.On23October,ISILalsoreportedlykilled50formerIraqiPoliceOfficersinthesamelocation.ThevictimswerereportedlyabductedinLazagaandal-HudvillagesandhadbeenbroughttoHamamal-Alilonthesameday.

29Seemoreunderuseofciviliansashumanshields.

14

On20October, ISFdiscovered thebodiesofat least70civilians insidehouses inTululNasirvillage inShurasubdistrictofMosul.ThebodiesborebulletwoundsandthevictimswereallegedlyrecentlykilledbyISIL.

Duringthenightof20October,membersofISIL’s‘alHisba’unitconductedasearchoperationinMosulcity,enteringhousesandsearchingforweaponsandmobileSIMcards.TheythenkilledsixciviliansafterconfiscationofSIMcardshiddenby thevictims.Theirbodieswerehung inSaidatial-JamilaSquare inMosulreportedlyasawarningrulingforothers.

On22October,ISILallegedlyshotandkilledthreewomenandthreechildren,andshotandwoundedafurther four children inRufeila villageof al-Qayyarah subdistrict ofMosul. The victimswere allegedlyshot for lagging 100 meters behind a group of villagers (number unknown) from Rufeila village (al-Qayyarah subdistrict ofMosul)whowerebeing takenby ISIL toHamamAli subdistrict ofMosul. Thevictimswere trailing behind as they reportedly had one female childwith a disability. The childwasreportedlyamongstthoseshotandkilled.

On24October, ISILshotandkilled15civilians inSafinavillage,ShurasubdistrictofMosul,andthrewtheirbodiesintheTigrisRiverreportedlyinanattempttospreadterroramongresidentsinlightoftheongoingMosulmilitaryoperations.

On25October, ISIL shotandkilled24 former ISFpersonnelwhohadbeenheld captiveby thegroupsinceSeptember2015forallegedlycooperatingwithISF.ThevictimswereallegedlykilledintheGhabatmilitarybase innorthernMosul.On thesameday, ISIL shotandkilled three former ISFmembersandhungtheirbodiesfromLibertyBridgeinMosul.

On26October,ISILallegedlyshotandkilled190formerISFpersonnelintheal-GhazlanimilitarybaseinMosul. The victims had reportedly been recently brought fromHamamal-Alil subdistrict ofMosul byISIL.Onthesameday,ISILalsoreportedlykilled42civiliansinal-IzzamilitarybaseinHamamal-AlilCityaftertheyreportedlyrefusedtojoinISIL.ThevictimshadreportedlybeenrecentlybroughttoHamamal-Alilcityfromal-OregVillageinHamamal-AlilsubdistrictofMosul.

On27OctoberISILtook50formerIraqiArmypersonnelfromSafina,Mahana,Um-ManassisvillagesinShurasubdistrictofMosultoamilitarycollegeinsideMosulairportandshotandkilled49ofthevictimsandwoundedtheothervictim.

On29October,40formerISFofficers,whohadreportedlybeenabductedaweekearlierbyISILfromal-ShurasubdistrictofMosulandfromsurroundingvillagesofHamamal-Alil,wereallegedlyshotdeadbyISILinHamamal-AlilCity.TheirbodieswerereportedlythrownintheTigrisRiver.

On 8 November, ISIL reportedly killed by shooting 40 civilians in Mosul City after accusing them oftreasonandcollaborationwithISF.Thevictimsweredressedinorangeclothesandwords‘traitorsandagentsofISF’werewrittenontheircorpsesinred.ThebodieswerethenhungfromelectricitypolesinseveralareasofMosul.

Intheeveningof9November,ISILreportedlykilled20civiliansbyshootingintheGhabatMilitaryBase,northern Mosul. The victims were reportedly accused of leaking information to ISF. ISIL hung their

15

bodies at different intersections inMosul and attached an ‘order of execution’ to the chests of thevictims,onwhichwasalsowritten‘usedcellphonestoleakinformationtoISF.’

In the evening of 11November, ISIL reportedly shot and killed 12 civilians in Bakir neighbourhood ineasternMosulcityforallegedlyrefusingtoallowISILtoinstallandlaunchrocketsfromtherooftopsoftheirhouses.

§ Forceddisplacementofthecivilianpopulationanduseofciviliansashumanshields

ThefirstphaseofthebattlesawthehighestnumberofepisodesofforceddisplacementofthecivilianpopulationbyISIL.Inparticular,severalinstances—involvinglargenumbersofcivilians—wererecordedintheveryfirstdaysoftheoperations(17to19October2016).

Severalcasesofforceddisplacementoccurredon17October:

ISILreportedlyforced200familiesoutofSamaliavillagebyfoottoanunknowndestination.

ISIL reportedly forced250 families fromNaifa village inNimrud subdistrictofMosul toMosulCity.

InMaahedeSalamiavillageofNimroud,subdistrictofMosul,150familieswereforcedtowalktowardsMosulCity.

InKanivillageinNimrudsubdistrict,200familieswereorderedbyISILtoleavetheirvillageandmovetothedirectionofMosul.

By17October,inal-AbbasvillageinNimrudsubdistrict(whichhadthenbeenretakenfromISILbyISF),atleast300familieshadreportedlyalreadybeenexpelledbyISIL,whoissuedcallsfromthemosqueforvillagerstoleave.

Atleasttwoinstancesofforceddisplacementoccurredon19October:

ISIL reportedly forcibly displaced residents of Tel al-shook, Um al-Manasees, Toulul al-Naser,Hahdrut al-Fadal, al-Bakar, Nusuf al-Tel, al-Safina, al-Nanah, Tuweba and Arasif in ShourasubdistrictofMosultootherareaswithinthegroup’scontrolinNinewaGovernorate,includingMosulandHamamAli.

ISIL forced residents of Tel al-shook, Um al-Manasees, Toulul al-Naser, Hahdrut al-Fadal, AlBakar, Nusuf al-Tel, al-Safina, al-Nanah, Tuweba and Arasif in Shoura subdistrict ofMosul toleave their villages for ISIL-controlled territories in NinewaGovernorate, includingMosul andHamamal-Alil.

In theearlyhoursof 31October, ISILbroughtdozensof trucks andmini-buses toHamamal-Alil City,southofMosul,inanattempttoforciblydisplacesome25,000civilianstowardslocationsinandaroundMosul.Thecivilianshadreportedlybeenabductedfromvillagesinal-Qayyarah,Hamamal-AlilandShurasubdistricts of Mosul. The trucks were reportedly prevented from proceeding towards Mosul by airstrikesbyplanesthatwereallegedlysurveillingtheareaandthetruckswereforcedtoreturntoHamamal-Alil.However,somebusesreportedlyreachedAbusaif,15kilometersnorthofHamamAl-Alilcity,andothers Tilkaif district. At midnight on 31 October and 1 November, ISIL reportedly transported an

16

unknown number of families allegedly using 32 trucks and minibuses to Talafar district. One sourcereportedthatbeforedawnon2November,ISILtook150familiestoMosul.

On 2 November, ISIL—reportedly usingloudspeakers—orderedresidents of the Lazaghah (some 200houses)andArij villages (some 2000 houses),five km from Hamam al-Alil CityCentre, to leave thevillages for Mosul.ISIL pickup trucksreportedly patrolledhouses of Arij village orderingresidents toleavethevillageorotherwisetheywouldbekillediftheyremainedinthevillage.

On 9 November, ISIL forciblymoved 42 families from their homes in the al-Faisaliya neighbourhood,easternMosul,tothewesternsideofthecity. Thefamilieswerereportedlyput intohouses inwhichIEDshadbeenplaced.

Duringthenightbetween12and13November,ISILreportedlyorderedtheresidentsoftheMuharibeenand Tahrir areas of easternMosul to leave their homes andmove toMosul city downtown. ISIL toldresidentsthatnon-compliancewouldresultintheuseoffemalefamilymembersashumanshields.

§ Useofallegedchemicalagents

Several actions taken by ISIL deliberately caused damage to the environment and caused civiliancasualties,asillustratedbelowbytheincidentsrecordedbyUNAMI/OHCHR.EffortsbyIraqiauthoritiestocontaintheeffectsofthe incidents,whichtookplaceaftertheendofthisphaseoftheoperations,havebeenincludedinthissectionofthereport.

On20October2016,ISILsetfiretosulfurfieldsandafactoryinMishraqvillage,25kilometersfromal-Qayyarah, and 45 km fromMosul, before withdrawing from the area. Local fire brigades reportedlydousedthefire.ThefieldsarelocatedinShurasubdistrictandsurroundedbyvillageswiththousandsofinhabitants. On 21 October, a rocket fired by ISIL hit the same fields and factory resulting in gasdissipatingtowardsdozensofsurroundingvillages.By22October,ISFreportedthattheyhadcontainedthe fire caused by the rocket at the sulfur gas factory and fields. However, plumes of sulfur gascontinuedtobeseenrisingfromthesulfurfields.

By 23 October, the World Health Organization (WHO)30 and the Ninewa Directorate of Health hadtreated1000suffocationpatientsasa resultof thesulfurplumes.Asof23October, fourpeople (twociviliansandtwoIraqiArmypersonnel)haddiedafterinhalingfumesfromtheburningsulfur.Twoofthevictims(IraqiArmypersonnel)diedon21OctoberinSafinavillageinal-QayyarahsubdistrictofMosul.The other civilian victims died on 21 or 22 October. On 27 October, ISF reportedly contained thedissipationofthegas.

On 26 October, a two-month old boy died from asphyxia as a result of emissions from theMishraqSulfur Gas factory and fields in Shura. The child reportedly died as his family fled from Shura City

30WHOandMinistryofHealthacceleratetheirmedicalinterventiontomanageover1000casesofsuffocationinal-Qayarrah,Ijhala, Haj Ali, and Makhmour, http://www.uniraq.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=6210:who-and-ministry-of-health-accelerate-their-medical-intervention-to-manage-over-1000-cases-of-suffocation-in-qayarra-ijhala-haj-ali-and-makhmour&Itemid=605&lang=en,24October(accessed25April2017).

17

towardsal-Qayyarah.Other familymembersalsoreportedlysuffered frombreathingproblemsonthewaytoal-Qayyarah.

On29March, the IraqiMinistryofOil announced tohaveestinguishedall the fires in theoilwells innorthernIraq.31

§ Recruitmentanduseofchildren

UNAMI/OHCHRreceivedseveralreportsconcerningrecruitmentanduseofchildrenbyISIL.

On19October2016,itwasreportedtoUNAMI/OHCHRthatISILhadreportedlybeenforciblyrecruitingchildren fromnine yearsold andabove inMosul since the start of themilitary operations.Awitnessreported to UNAMI/OHCHR that on 17 or 18 October, ISIL entered a house in al-Karama Quarter inMosul,andattemptedtotakebyforcea12-yearoldboytojointhegroup.Thefatherbeggedthegrouptoleavetheboy.ISILtookthefatherinsteadinformingthefamilythathewouldbefightingISF.

On 19 October, ISIL child soldiers rigged with explosives were reportedly killed in Shaquli Village inHamdaniyasubdistrictofMosulwhenanoperationbyISFwaslaunchedagainstISILinthearea.

On 25 October, ISIL allegedly ordered residents of Hamam al-Alil City, Hamam al-Alil subdistrict ofMosul,tosurrenderchildrenagedatleast10yearsofagetothegroup.AsourcereportedthatISILusedloudspeakersmountedatthebackofavehicletomaketheorderthreateningtokillfamiliesthatdidnotobey. Another source reported that ISIL militants knocked at people’s houses and ordered them tosurrender their sons to the group. ISIL reportedly took the children surrendered to the group to anunknowndestinationandwiththeintentionofusingthemasfighters.

Localmediareportedthaton9November,ISILdeployedits“CubsoftheCaliphate”unitintheoldtownofMosul,withitsmemberswearingexplosivebelts.

§ Destructionofcivilianobjects

ConcomitantlywiththebeginningofmilitaryoperationstoretakeMosul, ISILdestroyedseveralpublicbuildings in Mosul City to deny ISF the ability to use them. No casualties were reported during thedestruction.BelowaretheincidentsrecordedbyUNAMI/OHCHR.

On19October2016,ISILdestroyedusingexplosivestheNinewaGovernoratebuildingintheJumhuriyaStreetofcentralMosul.Thesameday,ISILsetonfiretheGeneralDirectorateofPassportsandGeneralDirectorateofNationalityinMosulcity.ISILreportedlytookthousandsofdocumentsandanunspecifiednumberofcomputersfromthebuildingsbeforesettingitonfire.Additionally,ISILreportedlydestroyedusingexplosivestheMunicipalitybuildingintheBa’thneighbourhoodofcentralMosul.

On21October,ISILdestroyedusingexplosivesabuildingoftheGeneralDirectorateofEducationinal-NasirneighbourhoodofeasternMosul.ISILevacuatedsurroundingbuildingsbeforethedetonation.

31http://www.oil.gov.iq/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=807(accessed29April2017).

18

1-B:ViolationscommittedbyISFandassociatedforces

§ Abductionsandunlawfulkillings

UNAMI/OHCHRreceivedreportsthatmembersoftheIraqiFederalPolicesummarilyexecutedsixmenaftercapturingtheminShurasubdistrictofMosularound21October2016.UNAMIcouldnotconfirmthe circumstances of these killings and whether those killed were civilians or ISIL fighters whowerekilled in fighting or had been detained and subsequently killed after being captured. UNAMI alsoreceived information that Iraqi Federal Police killed five civilians including three children in Na’naa’village on the 21 October. While some sources said that they were killed ‘execution-style’, othersclaimedthatthevictimswerekilled incross-firebetweenthe IraqiFederalPoliceand ISILastheyhadstayedinthevillageafteralltheotherresidentshadvacated.UNAMIhasbeenunabletodeterminethecircumstancesoftheincident.

Onaround11November,avideowaspostedonlineshowinguniformedmenwithayoungmaleinwhatseems tobeadesert area. Theyoungmale is forced to lieunder a tank’s tracks and is shotmultipletimesby a uniformedmanbefore the tank rolls over his body. In the video there is no element thatcould suggest onwhich date the event occurred or the locationwhere it took place. UNAMI/OHCHRcontactedIraqisecurityauthorities in its initialassessmentwhonotedtoUNAMI/OHCHRthatthoseinthe video are not ISFmembers. UNAMI/OHCHR could not verify this incident or determine location,perpetrators or authenticity of the video. UNAMI/OHCHR advocated with Iraqi authorities for athorough investigation tobecarriedoutand for those responsible tobebrought to justice.On5 July2017,IraqiauthoritiesrepliedtoUNAMI/OHCHRthattheyconsideredthevideoafabrication.

§ Shelling

Insomeoftheinstancespresentedbelow,civiliansaffectedbyshellingfiredbyISFmayhavebeenusedbyISILashumanshields.

On1November2016,arocket–allegedlyfiredbyISF–reportedlyhitahouseinGojalineighbourhoodofeasternMosulCity,killingamanandwoundinghis12-year-olddaughter.PreviouslyISILhadreportedlyforciblyenteredthehouseandlaunchedarockettargetingISFfromtherooftopofthehouse.

On4November,missiles–allegedly firedby ISF–reportedly hit a house inHamamal-Alil subdistrict ofMosul, killing 18 civilians, including a one-year-old child and an unknown number of women, andwounding fourother civilians.Previously ISILwas reportedly launchingmissiles targeting ISF from theground in front of the house. The victims had reportedly been forciblymoved by ISIL from al-Safinavillage in Shura subdistrict ofMosul to Hamam al-Alil City, Hamam al-Alil subdistrict, on 19 October2016.ISILreportedlyusedthevictimsashumanshields.UNAMI/OHCHRinterviewedseveralvictimsofforcibledisplacementbyISILfromal-SafinavillagewhoreportedthathundredswereforciblymovedbyISILtoHamamal-AlilCityon19October.Atleast22civiliansfromthreefamilieswereforcedbyISILtostayinahousesurroundedbyISIL’sheavyartillery.

19

1-C:Airstrikes

UNAMI/OHCHR received several reports of airstrikes causing civilian casualties and damaging civilianpropertyandinfrastructureinareasunderthecontrolofISILduringtheperiodcoveredbythisreport.InmanyincidentsUNAMI/OHCHRwasnotabletodetermineresponsibilityduetoinsufficientinformationorcontradictorystatementsregardingtheincidents.Additionally,insomeincidentsciviliansaffectedbytheairstrikesmighthavebeenusedbyISILashumanshields.

On24October2016,anairstrikereportedlyhitahouseinAbu-Jarbu’avillageinBashiqasubdistrictofMosulkillingsixcivilians–twochildren,twowomenandtwomen–fromtwofamiliesandalsowoundingfourcivilians–twochildren,onewomanandaman.

Intheeveningof2November,anairstrikehitaresidentialareainal-QudusneighbourhoodineasternMosul,killingfourwomenandwounding17othercivilians,includingwomenandchildren.

On 5 November, airstrikes hit two houses in Hamam al-Alil City resulting in the houses collapsing.Twenty-three civilians, including children,were reportedly trapped inside. In theeveningof the sameday,twochildren,oneseriouslywounded,andanelderlywoman,werereportedlyrescuedandtakentohospital. In themorningof6November, two femalechildrenandthreebodieswerereportedly takenout from the rubble. On 7 November, eight bodies (husband, wife, three children, mother of thehusband and husband’s two sisters) and seven wounded civilians–three children, two men and twowomen–were reportedly taken out from the rubble. ISIL was reportedly shelling ISF positions frombehindthehouses.AttemptstorescuevictimsandtotakeoutdeadbodieswerereportedlyalsobeinghinderedbyISILsniperfire.

In theafternoonof8November,anairstrike reportedlyhital-SalamneighbourhoodofeasternMosulCity killing 14 civilians, including three children and five women, and wounding another 11 civilians,includingtwowomenandachild.

Twoincidentswererecordedon10November:

• AnairstrikehitHatrasubdistrictofMosul.Accordingtosources,betweentwocivilians(children,agedsevenandnine,respectively)andfourcivilians(twochildrenandtwowomen)werekilledandnineothercivilians,includingsevenwomen,wounded.HROcouldnotdeterminetheexactnumberofcasualties.

• An airstrike reportedly hit Hamam al-Alil subdistrict of Mosul. Six members of one family (amarried couple with four children) were killed and two other family members (a girl and awoman)werewounded.The familyhadbeen forcibly relocatedby ISIL fromSafinavillage,al-QayyarahsubdistrictofMosuldistrict,onthesamedate.

1-DActsthatmayamounttocollectivepunishments

In one instance, acts of retaliation targeting people alleged to have been affiliated to ISIL werereportedlycarriedbyciviliansinareasinwhichlawandorderhadnotapparentlybeenre-established.Intheafternoonof8November,severalresidentsofHamamal-AlilCityandofSalhiyavillage,Hamamal-Alil subdistrictofMosul, reportedly set fire toeighteenhousesbelonging to individuals from the two

20

areas,whoallegedlyworked,joinedorcooperatedwithISIL.TheownersofthehousesfledHamamal-Alil with ISIL when ISF approached their areas. The residents also reportedly expelled eight familiesallegedtohavebeenaffiliatedwithISILinHamamal-AlilCity.

Section2Phase2:theBattleforEasternMosulThemilitaryoperationstoretakeeasternMosulfromISILstartedinthefirsthalfofNovember2016andcontinueduntil24January2017whenPrimeMinisterAl-AbadideclaredeasternMosulretaken.WhilethemajorityofincidentsincludedinthissectionoccurredineasternMosul,someincidentstookplaceinareassurroundingMosulwherefightingwasstillongoingorinareasofNinewathatremainedunderISILcontrol,suchasTalafarCity.

AttacksbyISILineasternMosulcontinuedalsoaftereasternMosulwasdeclaredretaken.Forreasonsofclarity,when incidents occurred before the launching of the ISF operations to retakewesternMosul,theyhavebeenpresentedinthissection.Instead,thosewhichoccurredafterthestartoftheoperationstoretakewesternMosul,havebeenincludedinsection3.

2-A:ViolationsandabusescommittedbyISIL

§ Abductions

UNAMI/OHCHRdocumentedinstancesofabductionscarriedoutbyISIL,althoughfewerthaninthefirstphase of the military operations (Section 1). Abductions also occurred in western Mosul. On 27November2016,ISILabducted23shopownersinBursaneighbourhoodinwesternMosulforallegedlyraisingfoodpricesinthecity.Theywereblindfoldedandtakentoanunknownlocation.Intheeveningof27December, ISIL launchedasearchoperation intheZanjilyneighbourhood inthewesternpartofMosulandabductedfiveciviliansaccusedofhavingleafletspreviouslydroppedbytheIraqiAirForce.

§ Masskillings

UNAMI/OHCHRdocumented instancesofkillingscarriedoutby ISIL. Inmostof thecases, thosekilledwereaccusedofcooperationwithISFandassociatedforces.On25November2016,ISILshottodeath27 civilians inMuhandiseen Park in northernMosul city, for allegedly leaking information to ISF.Thevictims had been abducted by ISIL the previous week from their homes in theMasarif, Zuhour andJami’aneighbourhoodsofeasternMosul. Inthemorningof2December, inDawasneighbourhoodofcentralMosul,ISILpubliclykilledaMosulUniversitystudentforallegedlyreceivingmoney-transfercashfromonefriend(fromtheShi’acommunity)fromanotherareaofIraq.Inthemorningof17December,ISILmemberspubliclybeheadedtwociviliansallegedlyforcooperationwithISF.ThevictimswerekilledinthevicinityofRawthamosqueintheRifaqneighbourhoodofeasternMosul.

§ AttacksusingIEDs

ISIL carried out several attacks using IEDs, vehicle-borne IEDs or suicide vest IEDs. From the end ofDecemberonwards, ISIL started carryingout attacksusingdrones carrying explosives.Although therehadbeensporadicreports inthepastof ISILuseofweaponiseddrones, itsfrequency inthecourseof

21

thebattle forMosul representedanew tactic. In some cases civilianswere affectedbecauseof theirproximity to ISF targets; in other cases civilians seemed to represent the target of the armed group.Additionally,explosivesleftbehindbyISILinareasretakenbyISFalsoresultedinciviliancasualties.Thelistofincidentspresentedbelowshouldbeconsideredillustrativeandnotexhaustive.

On6November2016,anISILattackusingavehicleladenwithexplosivesintheSamahneighbourhoodofeasternMosulCityreportedlykilledatleast35civilians,includinganunspecifiednumberofwomenandchildren,andwoundedatleastonewomanandoneman.Thosekilledreportedlyincludedatleasttwo families that had fled the al-Bakri neighbourhood of eastern Mosul City due to the militaryoperationsandsoughtrefugeinoneofthreehousesdestroyedbytheimpactoftheexplosion.ThecarbombreportedlytargetedIraqiArmyCounterTerrorismForcesthathadenteredSamahneighbourhood.

On28November,anISILtruckladenwithexplosivesdetonatedatthegateofanelderlypersonshomeinZuhourareaofeasternMosul, targeting ISFbutalsokilling11 civilians, (including fourwomenandtwochildren),andwounding15others(includingsixwomenandthreechildren).

In thenightof2December,an ISILvehicle ladenwithexplosiveswasdetonated inal-Qadisiyaal-Oulaneighbourhood in eastern Mosul, near to al-Mawla Bakery, killing two civilians and wounding threeothers, including a woman. A house close to the explosion collapsed, with an unknown number ofcivilianstrappedintherubble.TheattackallegedlytargetedISF,butnoISFcasualtieswerereported.

Inthenightof6to7December,ISILlaunchedacounter-attackagainstISFusingatleastthreevehiclesladenwithexplosives,andretookfromISFtheSalamHospitalinsoutheasternMosulCity.Intheattack34civilians(including11womenandeightchildren)werekilledand28civilianswounded(includingninewomenandfourchildren).

On 1 January 2017, 16 civilians, including five children and threewomen,were killed and 26 others,includingfourchildrenandthreewomen,werewoundedbythedetonationsof IEDsplantedbyISIL inthenewlyretakenneighbourhoodsofal-Karamaandal-QudsofeasternMosul.Onthesameday,threecivilianswerekilledand11others,includingtwowomenandachild,werewoundedwhenanISILfighterwearing an explosive vest blew himself up among civilians in the just retaken neighbourhood of al-KaramaofeasternMosul.

On2January,fivecivilians,includingtwochildrenandonepregnantwoman,werekilledand13others,includingthreechildrenandtwowomen,werewoundedbythedetonationsofIEDsleftbehindbyISILintheretakenneighbourhoodsofal-Karamaandal-QudsineasternMosul.

On3January,anattackbytwoISILmembersdrivingvehiclesladenwithexplosivestargetingISFintheFalahareaofeasternMosulkilled11civilians,includingfourwomenandtwochildren,andwounded13others,includingtwowomenandthreechildren.SevenISFmemberswerealsokilledintheattack.

Intheeveningof24January,twochildrenwerekilledandanotherchildwoundedafteranIED,allegedlypreviouslyplantedbyISIL,detonatedintherecentlyretakenal-MasraifneighbourhoodineasternMosulcity.

Inthemorningof3February,anattackby ISILusingadronecarryingexplosivesreportedlyhit theal-MustafaprimaryschoolintheSukkarneighbourhoodofeasternMosul,killingtwofemaleteachersand

22

wounding three pupils. In the afternoon of 3 February, an attack by ISIL using a drone carryingexplosives killed one civilian and wounded three others in the Wajih al-Saidaly mosque in theMuhandiseenneighbourhoodofeasternMosul.

Intheafternoonof10February,anattackbyanISILfighterwearinganexplosivevestinsideSayidatyal-Jamilarestaurant, intheZahurneighbourhoodofeasternMosulcity,killedfourciviliansandwounded12others.Inthesameafternoon,anotherattackbyanISILfighterwearinganexplosivevesttargetedarestaurantintheMasarifneighbourhoodofeasternMosul,killingeightcivilians,includingtwochildren,andwounding14others.

Atnoonon11February,ISILallegedlyconductedadroneattacktargetingafuneralceremonyintheal-ArabineighbourhoodofnorthernMosul,killingeightcivilians,includingthreewomen,andwounding17others.

Intheafternoonof13February,twoISILsuicideattackersdetonatedtheirexplosivevestsinamarketintheZahraaneighbourhood(alsoknownasSaddamneighbourhood)ofeasternMosul.Theattackkilled13civilians,includingfourwomenandtwochildren,andwounded21others,includingsixwomenandfivechildren.

§ TargetingcivilianstryingtofleeareascontrolledbyISIL

ISILrepeatedlytargetedcivilianstryingtofleeareasunderitscontrol.Inmostcasespeoplewerekilledorwoundedwhiletryingtoflee;inothercasestheywerekilledbyISILafterhavingbeencaptured.

On21November2016,anISILsniperkilleda61year-oldman,whowasrunningfromhishouseinISILcontrolledal-KhathraneighbourhoodofeasternMosultowardsISFpositions.

On22November,anISILsniperreportedlykilledaseven-year-oldchildandwoundedhisbrotherwhiletheywererunningtowardsISFpositionsintheAdanneighbourhoodofeasternMosul.

On26November,anISILsniperkilleda42-year-oldcivilianmanwhowasholdingaraisedwhiteflagasherantowardsISFinal-QahiraneighbourhoodineasternMosul.

On3December,anISILsniperkilledonecivilian,andwoundedhisson,astheywererunningtowardsISFpositionsintheal-Qadisiyaal-Oulaneighbourhood,nexttoal-MawlaBakery,ineasternMosul.

Intheeveningof18December,ISILpubliclykilledbyshootingfourcivilians,includingawoman,intheBabal-ToobneighbourhoodofcentralMosul.ThevictimswerecapturedbyISILon17DecemberastheywerefleeingtowardsISFpostsintheTameemneighbourhoodofeasternMosul.

On31December,an ISIL sniper shotandkilleda29-year-oldmanandhis fatherwhen they left theirhomeintheMuthannaneighbourhoodofeasternMosultobringdrinkingwaterfromtheirneighbours.

AttacksbyISILtargetingcivilianswerenotlimitedtoeasternMosul,butoccurredinotherpartsofthecity.

Intheafternoonof22January2017,ISILsnipersallegedlyshotandkilledthreeciviliansinal-Rashidiyaneighbourhood in northern Mosul city, as they were fleeing from the neighbourhood towards ISFpositionsinArabineighbourhood.

23

On6February,ISILcaptured11people–includingthreewomenandfourchildren—attemptingtocrosstheTigrisRiverinaboatinwesternMosul(noinformationavailableonthespecificlocation).Later,ISILreportedlyshotandkilledallofthem.

Intheafternoonof11February, ISILallegedlyshotandkilledfivemalecivilians inShaikhMuhammadvillage, western Mosul, for attempting to flee the village towards al-Rashidiya neighbourhood innorthernMosul.

§ ForceddisplacementofthecivilianpopulationbyISIL

Althoughlessfrequentthanduringthefirstphaseoftheoperations,casesofforceddisplacementofthecivilianpopulationbyISILwerealsoreportedwhenthemilitaryoperationsinvolvedMosulCity.

In the evening of 2 December 2016, ISIL forcibly displaced residents of al-Bareed neighbourhood ineastern Mosul towards the western part of the city. The neighbourhood was reportedly completelyemptied.

On 12 December, ISIL allegedly forced residents of al-Jazaier and Karaj al-Shimal neighbourhoods ineasternMosul to leave their homes for other unspecified neighbourhoods in the city. ISIL reportedlywantedtousethehousesformilitarypurposes.

On 7 January 2017, ISIL allegedly moved 131 Yezidi women held captive by the group from easternMosultotheAskarineighbourhoodinTalafarcity.On15January,ISILallegedlymovedanadditional90Yezidi women from western Mosul city (under ISIL control) to al-Thamanin and al-KhadraneighbourhoodsinTalafarcity.Thefateofthewomenareunknown.

§ Useofciviliansashumanshields

ISILcontinuedusingciviliansashumanshieldsand threateningcivilianswhoopposed theuseof theirhousesbythegroupformilitarypurposes.

On 26 November 2016, ISIL deployed snipers on rooftops of inhabited houses in the al-BaladiyatneighbourhoodofeasternMosul.ISILthreatenedtokillanyresidentswhoopposethispractice.FamilieslivinginsuchhousesfearedISFreturnfire.

On 3 December, ISIL forcibly entered civilians’ houses in al-Kafaaat and al-Akhaa neighbourhoods ofeasternMosulandengaged ISFby firingmortarrounds fromrooftops. Theoccupantswereforcedtostayinthehouses.

§ Shelling

UNAMI/OHCHRdocumentedalargenumberofcasesofshellingbyISILcausingciviliancasualties.

On 21 December 2016, ISIL shelling killed four aidworkerswhowere distributing food andwater toresidents in the recently retaken Zuhour neighbourhood of eastern Mosul. At least three civilians,includingonewoman,werewoundedinthisattack.

24

On30December, ISILshellingkilled16civilians, includingtwochildrenandfivewomen,andwounded50others,including17childrenandfivewomen,inthenewlyretakenneighbourhoodofal-Karamaandal-QudsofeasternMosul.Onthesameday,22civilians,including19children,werewoundedbymortarrounds fired by ISIL into the newly retaken neighbourhood of Qahirah, Zahraa, Tahrir, Rabajiah,Mushraq,al-Jamaiah,Zahour,andotherareasofeasternMosul.

On31December,85civilianswerereportedlywounded, including49children,asaresultofashellingand shooting by ISIL into the newly retaken neighbourhood of Adan, al-Jamaiah, al-Qudas, Baker,Bareed,Qahirah,Muharbien,Mushraq,Rabajiah,Samah,Tahrir,Zahraa,andZuhourofeasternMosul.Accordingtoreports,mostofthewoundedsufferedseriousburns.

On 2 January 2017, ISIL indiscriminately firedmortar rounds into the retaken neighbourhoods of al-Karamaandal-QudsineasternMosul,wounding32civilians,including17children.

On12January,fivecivilians, includingthreechildrenandonewoman,werereportedlykilledintheal-DubatneighbourhoodineasternMosulcitybyISILshelling.Accordingtoreports,theshellingtookplaceinanintentionalmannertohitcivilians.TheneighbourhoodhadbeenreclaimedearlierandnopresenceofISFwasrecordedatthetimeofshelling.

In theafternoonof13February, ISILallegedly fireda rocket inZahraaneighbourhood (alsoknownasSaddamneighbourhood)ofeasternMosulthatimpactedacivilianhome,killingtwocivilians—awomanandachild—andwoundinganotherchild.

Intheafternoonof16February,inJazairneighbourhoodofeasternMosul,shelling—allegedlybyISIL—reportedlyhit theSinaaSecondaryGirlsSchool,killingtwofemalestudentsandwoundingfourotherscivilians,includingtwoteachers.

§ Attacksagainstmedicalpersonnel

On22November2016,anISILsniperhitadoctor intheal-Qadisiyaal-OulaneighbourhoodofeasternMosul.ThedoctordiedonthewaytotheErbilhospital.On23November,anISILsniperkilledadoctorworkingwithmobileclinicsintheAdanneighbourhoodofeasternMosul.

§ Destructionofcivilianobjects

During the morning of 7 January 2017, ISIL reportedly burnt the al-Khanzaa hospital in SukkarneighbourhoodofeasternMosulasISFwasenteringtheneighbourhood.

Intheafternoonof21January,ISILdestroyedaconsiderablepartofMosulHotelinwesternMosulcityusingexplosives.Nocasualtieswerereportedandthereasonsbehindthedestructionareunknown


SomeoftheincidentsandallegedviolationsincludedinthissectionoccurredinMosulCity,whileotherstook place in areas of Ninewa that had been retaken by ISF before the operations in easternMosulstarted.

25

§ Allegationsofill-treatment

UNAMI/OHCHRexaminedavideopostedonsocialmediaon19 January2017,apparently showing ill-treatmentofpeopleatthehandsofindividualspresentedasPMUmembers.

Thevideowasentitled‘ISILmemberscapturedbyPMUs’andshowstwomenbeinginterrogatedbyatleastthreeunseenmen(basedonthevoicesheardinterrogatingthevictims).OneoftheinterrogatorsisheardaskingthevictimswhethertheyhadthoughtthattheHashidal-Shabii(PMUs)wouldnotcapturethem.Inthebeginningofthevideooneoftheinterrogatorscallsthevictims‘dogs’beforeaskingoneofthemen howhe killed an unidentified soldier.One of the victims is heard saying, “I shot him in thehead.”During the interrogation, oneof the interrogators’ hands is seenpointing a gun at oneof thevictimsandorderinghim toanswerhisquestions.Whatappears tobeahosepipe isalso seenbeingused to beat one of the victims with a voice heard ordering the victim to answer a question.UNAMI/OHCHRcouldnotverifytheauthenticityofthevideo.


On21January2017,avideowaspostedonsocialmediashowingmenwearingwhatappearstobeIraqiArmyandIraqiFederalpoliceuniformsbeatingtwomenincivilianclothingandsubsequentlyshootingthemandathirdvictimmultipletimesinanunidentifiedlocationallegedlyinMosulcity.InthevideoamanwearingwhatappearstobeanIraqiArmyuniformisseenbeatingamanincivilianclothinglyingonthegroundwithabloodiedstick.Avoiceisheardurgingthemantokillthevictim.Amanwearingwhatappears tobean IraqiFederalPoliceuniform is subsequently seendragging thevictimon thegroundwith two othermen kicking the victim as he is being dragged. At least four othermen in Iraqi Armyuniformsareseenbeatinganothermaninblackcivilianclothing.Thetwovictims,plusathirdvictim,aresubsequentlyseenbeingshotatmultipletimes.UNAMI/OHCHRcouldnotverifytheauthenticityofthevideo. On 21 January, UNAMI publicly called on the Government of Iraq to investigate the incidentsshowedinthevideo.32On23January,theIraqiPrimeMinisterorderedaninvestigationintoallegationsofviolationscommittedbyISFandassociatedforces.33UNAMI/OHCHRadvocatedwithIraqiauthoritiesforan investigationtobecarriedoutandtoholdtoaccountthoseresponsible.Noreplywasreceivedfrom Iraqi authorities and no information was apparently publicly available on the results of theinvestigationatthetimeofreporting.

On5February,avideoemergedonsocialmediashowingmen—someofwhomwearingwhatappeartobeIraqiArmyuniform—shootingoneindividualandthebodiesoftwodeadpeoplelyingontheground.At leastoneoftheshooters iswearing IraqiArmyinsignia.Oneofthemalsokickstheheadofoneofthebodies.According tosources, thekillingsoccurredon5February in theal-Noorneighbourhood ineasternMosul,whichhadbeenretakenbyISFatleastoneweekbefore.UNAMI/OHCHRcouldnotverifytheauthenticityofthevideo.

32 http://www.uniraq.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=6660:unami-calls-on-government-to-investigate-report-of-torture-and-murder-of-captured-terror-suspects-in-mosul&Itemid=605&lang=en–accessed23January2017)33http://www.pmo.iq/press2017/23-1-20171.htm(accessed25January2017)

26

2-C:Airstrikes

UNAMI/OHCHRcontinuedtorecordseveralcasesofairstrikescarriedoutbyISFandStatesparticipatinginOperationInherentResolvecausingciviliancasualties.UNAMI/OHCHRwasnotabletodeterminetheexactnationalityoftheaircractinvolvedinthespecificairstrikesmentionedbelow.

UNAMI/OHCHR recorded 40 civilian casualties (29 killed and 11wounded) as a result of airstrikes ineasternMosul.

On29December2016,anairstrikehittheparkingareaoftheIbnal-AtheerhospitalintheMajmouaal-Thaqafiya neighbourhood of northeastern Mosul, reportedly killing seven civilians and wounding 14others.TheairstrikeallegedlytargetedavehicletransportingISILmilitants.Reportswerereceivedthatwhen ISIL tookoveral-Salamhospitalof southeasternMosulon5December, itevacuatedthecivilianpatientsfromIbnal-Atheerhospitalandreservedthehospitalonlyforthetreatmentofitsmilitants.ISILreportedlyposteda video showing theeffectsof theairstrikeonline.UNAMI/OHCHRcouldnot verifytheauthenticityofthevideo.

Intheafternoonof3January2017,anairstriketargetingagatheringofISILmembersreportedlykilledfive civilians and wounded four others, including one woman, in the Domiz neighbourhood ofsoutheasternMosul.

Inthemorningof6January,airstrikestargetinganISILgatheringintheZiraieneighbourhoodofcentralMosulkilled17civilians, includingsevenwomenand fourchildren,andwounded11others, includingfourwomenandtwochildren.

Inthemorningof7January,15civilians,includingtwowomenandthreechildren,wereallegedtohavebeen killed in an airstrike targeting ISIL vehicles at the Hamameel roundabout in the DargizliyaneighbourhoodofeasternMosul.

Additionally, several airstrikes took place in western Mosul that caused a large number of civiliancasualties.

In the afternoonof 14 January, airstrikes reportedly targeted the house of an ISIL local leader in theMosul al-JadidaneighbourhoodofwesternMosul. Theattack resulted in the collapseof the targetedhouseandofanadjacenthouse,allegedlykilling19civilians,includingsevenwomenandfourchildren,andwounding11others,includingthreewomenandachild.

In the evening of 26 January, 27 women and children were reportedly killed and 11 other civilians,includingfourchildrenandonewoman,werewoundedinanairstriketargetinganISILcompoundintheQasiral-MitranneighbourhoodofwesternMosul.

2-D:Actsthatmayamounttocollectivepunishments

UNAMI/OHCHRdocumentedinstancesofthreatsagainstfamiliesallegedtohaveISIL-affiliatedmembersandforcedevictions.Insomecases,localauthoritiesseemedtohavetakentheleadortohavefollowedthewaveofresentmentsamongcertainsegmentsofthepopulation.Inothercases,unidentifiedgroupsmadethethreatsthroughso-callednightlettersorderingpeopletoleaveorfacedireconsequences.

27

§ Forceddisplacementandforcedevictions

SourcesreportedtoUNAMI/OHCHRthatinthebeginningofJanuary2017,around80individualswereallegedly forcibly evicted from Hamam al-Alil subdistrict of Mosul district by a decision of a localcommitteeandreportedlyinlinewithatribalagreementonforciblyevictingfamiliesofISILmembers.ThiscommitteewasformedbySunnitribesoftheregion(primarilyal-JubourTribe)whowouldidentifyfamiliesofISILmembers,confiscatetheiridentitycardsandforciblydisplacethemoutofHamamal-Alilsubdistrict.Thecommitteeisledbytriballeadersassistedbymembersofsecurityforces.Thoseevictedwere taken to al-Jadaa’ Camp, where the manager refused to receive them because of securityconcerns.Alocalofficialdeniedthisincidentandaddedthataroundmid-January,adecisionwastakentoevictfourfamiliesandtosendthemfourkmawayofHamamal-Aliltown.Headdedthattheywerethenbroughtbackintheeveningofthesameday.

In the morning of 6 February, the Commander of the Christian Mobilization Units (al-Hashed al-Maseehy,alsoknownas theBabylonMobilizationUnit)gatheredthecommunity leadersof theSunniArab community of Tilkef District and ordered Sunni Arabs to vacate the district by 10 February. Hethreatenedtodemolishtheirhouseswithbulldozersiftheyfailedtocomply.HetoldthemthatTilkefisa Christian territory onwhich Sunni Arabswere living during the regime of SaddamHussein after heconfiscateditfromtheChristians.ItwasreportedtoUNAMI/OHCHRthatduetofearofthisorder,on8February,34SunniArabcommunitymembersfledtoMosul.

2-E.Incidentsattributabletounidentifiedperpetrators

§ Abductions

On the night of 17 January 2017, a civilian was abducted by unidentified gunmen dressed in blackclothesinKokjalivillageinBashiqasubdistrictofMosuldistrict.ThevictimwasanIDPandhadreturnedbacktohisvillagerecently.

§ Killing

On 26 November 2016, the body of an Imam from Qayyarah city, south of Mosul, was brought toQayyarahmedical center. The body bore gunshotwounds to the head and the handswere tied. TheImamwasabductedon25November inal-Qayyarah, in frontofhishouse,byagroupofarmedmenallegedlywearingIraqiArmyuniformswhoarrivedinthreepick-upvehicleswithoutplatesorinsignia

On15January2017,amalebodywithgunshotwoundswasfoundinKokjalivillageinBashiqasubdistrictofMosuldistrict.Theidentityofthevictimandoftheperpetratoraswellasthereasonsforhiskillingarenotknown.

28

Section3

Phase3:theBattleforWesternMosulAftereasternMosulwasdeclaredretakenbyPrimeMinisterAl-Abadion24January2017,a lull inthefightingensuedinpreparationfortheoffensivebyISFandassociatedforcestoretakethewesternpartofMosul.On19February,ISF,includingthe9thDivisionofIraqiArmyandIraqiFederalPoliceandPMUs,commencedoperationsagainstISILinpartsofwesternMosul.

Incidents—such as suicide attacks and shelling—sporadically occurred in eastern Mosul after 19Februaryandtheirimpacthasbeenmentionedinthissection.

Thelistofincidentspresentedbelowshouldbeconsideredillustrativeandnotexhaustive.

3-A:ViolationsandabusescommittedbyISIL

§ Killings

UNAMI/OHCHR documented instances of killings carried out by ISIL. Inmost of the cases the victimswereaccusedbyISILofcooperatingwithISF.Inoneincident,ISILkilledcivilianspunishingthemforanallegedattacktheyhadcarriedoutagainstthegroup.

In theafternoonof 2March2017, ISILmilitantspublicly shot andkillednine local civilianmen in thecourtyardoftheGeneralHospitalinShifaaneighbourhoodinwesternMosul.ThevictimswereaccusedbyISILofprovidingintelligencetoISF.

On 5 April, ISIL publicly burnt three civilian men to death in the ISIL-controlled 17 Tamouzneighbourhood of western Mosul. The victims were accused of cooperation with ISF and they hadreportedlybeenabductedbyISILfromtheirhomesonehourbeforebeingkilled.

Inwhatappeared tobeanew tactic, ISILmembersdisguisedas ISFkilledandabductedcivilianswhogreeted themas liberators. For instance, in themorning of 24April, ISILmembers in a blackmilitaryvehicle andwearing combat uniforms similar to those of the Iraqi Federal Police, arrived in the ISIL-controlled al-Maydan neighbourhood in western Mosul. Local civilians came out to welcome thembelievingthattheywereISFcometoliberatethearea.TheISILmembersthenopenedfire,killing17ofthem,includingsixwomenandthreechildren.ISILalsoabductedninecivilianmen.

On13May,pictureswerereceivedofthebodiesofsevenmenhandcuffedandblindfolded lyingonaroadsidebetweenQahraaandal-HamadvillagesinHamamal-AlilsubdistrictofMosuldistrict.Sourcesreported to UNAMI/OHCHR that, during clashes between ISF and ISIL in early November 2016, ISILabductedsevencivilianmenfromal-Hamadvillage,reportedlyforallegedlyprovidingintelligencetoISF.Intheeveningof11May,thebodiesofthoseabducteeswerefoundonthestreetbetweenal-Athbaandal-Hamad village in Hamam al-Alil subdistrict. All the bodies were hand cuffed, blindfolded, and hadheadandchestgunshotwounds.Thebodieswereidentifiedbytheirfamilymembersandburiedinal-Hamadvillageon15May.

29

On19May,ISILshottodeathninecivilianmenintheFarouqStreetintheISIL-controlledOldMosulcity,western Mosul. According to reports, it was a revenge attack against the victims, as ISIL allegedlyaccusedthemofkillingthreeISILfightersintheNajafyStreetinthesameneighbourhoodon18May.

§ UseofIEDsresultinginciviliancasualties

ISILcarriedoutseveralattacksusingexplosivesemployingavarietyoftactics.Someattackswerecarriedout by ISIL members wearing explosive vests or by ISIL using vehicles laden with explosives. ISILcontinueditsuseofdronescarryingexplosives,althoughlessincidentsoftheirusewerereportedthanineasternMosul.OtherincidentsincludedbelowwerecarriedoutinretakenareasofeasternMosulorwere caused by explosives left behind by ISIL in retaken areas. In some cases civilianswere affectedbecauseoftheirproximitytoISFtargets;inothercasesciviliansseemedtorepresentthetargetofthearmedgroup.Thelistofincidentspresentedbelowshouldbeconsideredillustrativeandnotexhaustive.

In the afternoon of 20 February 2017, in a residential area of Bab al-Toob neighbourhood, westernMosul,adronecarryingexplosives,allegedlyoperatedbyISIL,crashed.Theexplosionkilledtwocivilians,includingachild,andwoundedfiveothers,includingtwowomen.

In the afternoonof 24 February, an IED—allegedlyplantedby ISIL to target ISF—detonated killing sixcivilians,includingtwochildrenastheywerefleeingtowardsISFinSahajiarea,southernMosul.

On1March,anattackbyISILusingavehicleladenwithexplosivestargetedanISFpostintheWadiHajarneighbourhoodofwesternMosulcity.TheattackdestroyedtwocivilianhouseslocatednexttotheISFpost,killing11civilians,includingthreewomenandfivechildren,andwoundingeightothers,includingachildandtwowomen.Allthevictimswerefromtwofamiliesandresidinginthosehouses.Intheattack,two Iraqi Armymemberswere killed and one otherwounded. At the time of the incident, theWadiHajarneighbourhoodhadbeenpartiallyliberatedbyISFanditwasthenfullyretakenon5March.

Inthemorningof6April,anIED,allegedlyleftbehindbyISIL,detonatedwhenagroupofstudentswascleaninginMosulUniversity,westernMosul,killingastudentandwoundingfourothers.

On 22 April, ISIL detonated a vehicle laden with explosives targeting an ISF position in al-Thawraneighbourhood,westernMosul.Theexplosionalsodestroyedacivilianhomethatwasnexttothe ISFlocation, killing two civilianmen from the same family. In addition, an undetermined number of ISFpersonnelwerekilledandwoundedintheattack.ISFretookthisneighbourhoodon23April.

Intheafternoonof21May,thedetonationofanIED—reportedlyplantedbyISIL—inaresidentialareaintheretakenHawial-KanisaneighbourhoodofwesternMosulkilledtwocivilians,includingachild,andwoundedfourothers,includingawomanandachild.AlthoughthisneighbourhoodhadbeenretakenbyISFon14May,sourcesreportedISILinfiltrationintheneighbourhood.

On2July,anISILmilitantdetonatedanexplosivevesttargetingagroupofciviliansintheretakenNabiJirjisneighbourhoodoftheOldcity,westernMosul.Theattackkilledacivilian(woman)andwoundednine others, including four women and two children. Sources reported that a rumor that ISIL wouldreturnintheretakenareashadbeenspreadandthevictimswerepossiblyfleeingtowardsnearbyIDPcamps.

30

On3 July,a female ISILmemberdetonatedanexplosivevest targetingagroupofcivilians in the ISIL-controlledal-ShahwanneighbourhoodoftheOldCity,whiletheywerefleeingtowardsISFpositions.Theattack killed 11 civilians, including men, women and children. Local and international media alsoreported an incident on 8 July in which a woman holding a child in her arms was killed after herexplosive vest detonated after passing through an Iraqi checkpoint. It was reported that thewomanattemptedtodetonateherexplosivesatthecheckpointbutthemechanismwasfaulty.Thewomanandthechilddiedintheexplosion.

ISIL’suseofIEDscontinuedtocauseciviliancasualtiesalsoineasternMosul.From19Februaryuntil10July,15attackswererecorded,killing57civiliansandwounding104others.

§ Targetingofcivilianstryingtofleeareascontrolledbythegroup

ISILrepeatedlyand intentionallytargetedcivilianstryingtofleeareasunder itscontrol. Inmostcases,peoplewerekilledorwoundedwhile tryingto flee; inothercases, theywerekilledafterhavingbeencaptured.

Intheafternoonof2April2017,ISILpubliclyshotandkilled20civilianmenintheISIL-controlledHaweal-Kanisaneighbourhood,westernMosul,forattemptingtofleetowardsISFpositionsintheBawabatal-Shamneighbourhood.Onthesamedate,ISILkilledanImaminthesameneighbourhoodforrefusingtoissueadeathsentenceagainstthe20civilianswhohadtriedtofleetowardsISFpositions.

Intheeveningof28April,ISILcaptured63civilians—women,men,andchildren—intheISIL-controlledal-Haramat neighbourhood of western Mosul, while they were fleeing towards ISF locations. In themorningof29April,ISILshotandkilled—reportedlyinpublic—allthemen(29)inastreetinal-Haramatareaandtooktheremaining34womenandchildrenbacktotheirhomesinthesameneighbourhood.Thebodiesofthemenwerereportedlyleftinthestreet.

On 11 May, ISIL captured 65 civilians—women, men, and children—in the ISIL-controlled Zanjillyneighbourhood,westernMosul,whiletheywerefleeingtowardstheretakenal-ThawraneighbourhoodofwesternMosul. ISILshotandkilled36men(allofthemabove30yearsofage) inal-BarakaMarketStreetintheZanjillyneighbourhoodonthesamedayandtooktheremainingwomenandchildrenbackto theirhomes. In theeveningof12May, the localsburiedthosebodies in thesameneighbourhood,reportedlyuponinstructionfromthelocalISILmembers.

In the morning of 26May, ISIL shot at people on the Tigris River side in the ISIL-controlled al-Shifaneighbourhood, western Mosul, killing 27 civilians from four families, including 14 women and fivechildren.Sourcesreportedthatthevictimswerefleeingtowardstheretakenal-Najarneighbourhoodinwestern Mosul. In the evening of 28 May, the local residents buried the bodies in the sameneighbourhood.

Intwoincidentson1and3June2017,ISILkilledmorethan200civilianswhiletheyweretryingtofleefromareasstillcontrolledbythearmedgroupandleftthebodieslyingonthestreetsforseveraldays.

Inthemorningof1June,ISILshotandkilledatleast163civilians,includingwomenandchildren,inthe

31

streetnexttothePepsifactory,whiletheywerefleeingtowardsISFpositions intheISIL-controlledal-Shifa neighbourhood, western Mosul. Armed clashes between ISIL and ISF were ongoing in thisneighbourhoodatthetimeoftheincidentandthecivilianswerereportedlytargetedbyISILtopreventthem from fleeing fighting areas, as ISIL allegedly intended to use them as human shields.UNAMI/OHCHR also received reports of an unconfirmed number of missing civilians from thisneighbourhood.

Intheafternoonof3June,ISILshotatandkilled41civilians,includingwomenandchildren,whiletheywere fleeing towards ISF positions in the al-Shifa neighbourhood, western Mosul. Armed clashesbetweenISILandISFwereongoingatthetimeoftheincident.

On8 June, theUnitedNationsHighCommissioner forHumanRights calledon the Iraqiauthorities toensure that those responsible for these acts be held accountable and brought to justice in linewithinternationalhumanrightslawsandstandards.Headdedthatthevictimsofsuchterriblecrimesmustnotbeforgotten.34

Inthemorningof23June,an ISILfighterdepartedfromtheOldCityminglingwithcivilianswhowerefleeing the fighting and reached the ISF-controlled al-Mashahda neighbourhood in western Mosul,wherehedetonatedhisexplosivebelt.Theexplosionkilled12civilians, includingfivewomenandtwochildren,andwounded23others,includingsevenwomenandfourchildren.

§ Useofciviliansashumanshields

UNAMI/OHCHR received consistent reports of ISIL using civilians as human shields, usually gatheringtheminbuildingsandthenusingthosebuildingsasfightingpositionstoattackISF(throughshellingandgunfire). Some of these reports are also included below discussing airstrikes, since in some casesUNAMI/OHCHRreceivedinformationthatcivilianvictimsofairstrikeshadbeenpossiblyusedbyISILashumanshields.

On5March2017,ISILbrought51civiliansfromsevenlocalfamiliestoahouseandplacedthemonthegroundfloorinal-theSamoudneighbourhoodofwesternMosulcity.Later,ISILreportedlymovedthemto the front lineswhile fightingwith ISF. Sources reported thatwhen ISFobserved that civilianswerepresenttheyceasedtheengagementwithISIL.Intheafternoonof6March,ISFmanagedtoreachthathouseandwereabletorescue48civiliansalive,includingthreechildrenwoundedbythedetonationofexplosivesusedbyISFintherescueoperationtogainentrytothehouse.

On18March,sourcesreportedtoUNAMI/OHCHRthatsince16March ISILhadbeenusingciviliansashuman shields in the ongoing fight in the Nablis and Risala neighbourhoods of western Mosul. ISILreportedlyforciblyputfamiliesinsomefifteenhousesonthefrontlinebetweenthemselvesandISF.

34http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=21701&LangID=E(accessed8June2017).

32

Inthemorningof20March,inwesternMosul,ISILmilitantsforced38familiestoleavetheirhomesintheBabal-Bethneighbourhoodfortheneighbourhoodof17Tamouzetobeusedashumanshields.

On 23 March, ISF managed to enter a booby-trapped house in retaken al-Jadida neighbourhood inwesternMosul,andrescued18civilianslockedbyISILinthebasement.Theciviliansspentthreedaysinthebasementwithoutfoodandwater.

On11June,intheal-ShifaaneighbourhoodofwesternMosul,ISILabducted18families(upto73men,women and children) at gunpoint from their homes and transferred them to the Dakkat BarakaneighbourhoodintheOldCityandusedthemashumanshields.Duringtheincident,ISILshotandkilledfouryoungmaleabducteeswhohadattemptedtoescape.

On25June, intheOldcityofMosul, ISIL lockedcivilians intheirhousestopreventthemfromfleeingandusedtheroofsofthehousestopositionsniperstoattackISF.

On8July,reportswerereceivedthatISILtookalargenumberofciviliansashostagesandusedthemashumanshieldswhilefightingagainstISFinISIL-controlledal-QaliaatneighbourhoodofOldCity,westernMosul.

§ Shelling

Intheafternoonon21March2017,shelling—allegedlybyISIL—killedfivechildrenandtheirmotherinonehouseintheal-JadidaneighbourhoodinwesternMosul.

On 22 March, four mortar rounds—allegedly fired by ISIL—targeted civilians gathered to receivehumanitarianaid in the retakenal-JadidaneighbourhoodofwesternMosul.Twocivilians (male)werekilledand15otherswounded,includingtwowomenandthreechildren.

In the morning of 26 March, three mortar rounds—allegedly fired by ISIL—fell on a market in theretakenNabiYounisneighbourhoodofeasternMosul,killingsevencivilians,includingtwowomenandachild,andwounding12others,includingfourwomenandtwochildren.

On1April,shelling—allegedlybyISIL—hitacivilianhomeintheretakenTalal-Rumanneighbourhood,westernMosul,killingthreecivilians,includingachild,andwoundingsevenmalecivilians.

Intheeveningof23April,ISILfiredarocket,reportedlytargetinganISFpositionthathitacivilianhomein the newly retaken al-Thawra neighbourhood,westernMosul. The rocket attack killed two civiliansfromthesamefamily(amanandawoman).

In themorningof 7May, in retakenal-Jadidaneighbourhood,westernMosul, ISIL shellinghit a shopkillingfourcivilians,includingachild,andwoundednineothercivilians,includingtwowomenandtwochildren.

Ataroundnoonof23June,shelling—reportedlybyISIL—hitanareaofMosulal-JadidainwesternMosulwhere civilians were shopping for Eid al-Fitr celebrations. Two civilians were killed and nine others,includingfourwomenandtwochildren,werewounded.

33

Shellingby ISILcontinuedtocauseciviliancasualtiesalso ineasternMosul.From19Februaryuntil10July,18shellingincidentswererecorded,killing51civiliansandwounding100others.

§ Allegeduseofweaponisedchemicalagents

UNAMI/OHCHR received reports of ISIL allegedly using weaponised chemical agents in the periodbetween27Februaryand30April2017. Insomeofthese incidentsthetargetsappearedtobe ISF; inothers, civilians were mainly affected. UNAMI/OHCHR could not independently verify the use ofweaponisedchemicalagentsintheseincidents.

Intheafternoonof27February2017,arocketallegedlyfiredbyISILhitacivilianhouseintheretakenneighbourhoodofal-Nour,easternMosul.Theattackwoundedsixcivilians,includingthreewomenandachild.Sourcesreportedvictimstohavesufferedbreathingdifficultiesandburningskin.

Threeincidentsinwhichallegedweaponisedchemicalagentswereusedon1March:

1. A rocket—allegedly fired by ISIL—hit a camp of the 9th brigade of Iraqi Army and the 26thbrigadeofPMUsinBadoushsubdistrict,Mosuldistrict.Sourcesreportedthat11PMUmemberssuffered from eye irritation and breathing difficulties. Sources also reported that the rocketreleasedwhitesmokethatcausedsuffocation,breathingdifficulties,andburningskin.

2. In the afternoon, a rocket allegedly fired by ISIL hit a civilian home in the retaken Garag al-Shimalneighbourhood,theeasternMosulcity.Theattackwoundedfivecivilians(fourchildrenandawoman).Sourcesreportedthattherocketreleasedastrongodorafteritexplodedinsidethelivingroomofthehome,causingbreathingdifficultiesandburningskin.

3. Alsointheafternoon,arocketallegedlyfiredbyISILimpactedaresidentialareaintheretakenTahreer neighbourhood of eastern Mosul city, killing two civilians, including a woman, andwounding four others. Sources reported that a strong odor spread widely after the rocketlanded.Sourcesalsostatedthatthevictimsweresittinginthatareaatthetimeoftheincidentand that those killed did not die of explosion-related wounds but because of the effectsproducedbyinhalingwhatwasallegedlyachemicalagentthatcausedbreathingdifficulties.

On 1 April, threemortar rounds, allegedly fired by ISIL at ISF positions, hit a residential area in theretakenYabasatneighbourhood,westernMosul,wounding12civilians, including10childrenand twowomen. Several ISF personnel were also wounded. Sources stated that all the victims reportedlysufferedbreathingdifficultiesandeyeirritations.

On 8 April, mortar rounds reportedly containing chemical agents—allegedly fired by ISIL—hit an ISFpositionintheal-Matahinneighbourhood,westernMosul.

On 14 April, ISIL fired two mortar rounds targeting Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) forces in thereclaimedal-Yabasatneighbourhood,westernMosul.MortarroundsallegedlycarriedtoxicagentsandresultedinthewoundingofsixCTSpersonnel.ThewoundedCTSpersonnelreportedsmellingastrongodorandhaddifficultiesinbreathingandhadburningskin.

34

Thesameday, ISIL fired twomortar rounds, targetingCTS in the reclaimedal-Aabaarneighbourhood,westernMosul. The attack wounded 12 CTS personnel, of whom three died while receivingmedicaltreatment. According to reports, the three soldiers died after having shown symptomsofpoisoningresulting apparentlyfrom anunknown chemical agent. All the victims reported a strongodor following theexplosions,difficulties inbreathing,blisteringof skin, andeye resolutionproblemsleadingtolosingsight.Althoughsourcesreportedthatsomecivilianswerealsoaffectedinthisincident,theywereunabletoprovidefurtherinformation.

On17April,ISILfiredfourmortarroundsreportedlytargetingISFinal-Thawraneighbourhood,westernMosul.Themortarrounds,reportedlycarryingtoxicagents,hitaresidentialarea,woundingfivecivilianboys. The victims reported of smelling strong odor following the explosion, difficulties in breathing,coughing,andeyeburning.

Intheafternoonof30April,ISILfiredarocket,reportedlycarryingtoxicagents,targetingISFpositionsinthe retaken al-Thawra neighbourhood,westernMosul. The rocket hit a civilian house,wounding twocivilian men. The victims reported smelling a strong odor following the explosion, difficulties inbreathing,andblistersontheskin.

§ RecruitmentanduseofchildrenbyISIL

Children continued to be seen in ISIL propagandapublishedon socialmedia andwebsites during thethirdphaseof theoperation.Numerous imagespublishedby thegroupshowedanumberofchildrenwhowere claimed to themembers of the “Cubs of the Caliphate”,35 carrying outmilitary drills withweapons.

On7June,aboy—reportedly15-years-old—wearinganexplosivevestattemptedtoblowhimselfupatthegate(mainentrypoint)ofthecampofthe16thbattalionoftheFederalPoliceintheretakenal-Nourneighbourhood of easternMosul. Followingwarnings the attacker did not stop and hewas shot andkilledbeforebeingabletodetonatehisexplosivevest.

§ DestructionofcivilianobjectsandotherspecificallyprotectedobjectsbyISIL

Intheeveningof20February2017, inWadiHajarneighbourhood,westernMosul, ISILmilitantsusingbulldozersdemolishedfivehousesownedbycivilianswhorefusedtofightforISILandhadinsteadfledtounknownlocations.

On 28 May, in the ISIL-controlled al-Shifa neighbourhood of western Mosul, ISIL occupied theRepublican Hospital for military purposes and put in the basement nine civilian men from theneighbourhood. The reason for keeping them captive is unknown. In the afternoon of the sameday,whenISFwasabouttoreachthehospital,ISILshotandkilledtheninemenandsetthehospitalbuildingonfirebeforeretreating.

35Alsocalledinsomearticles“LionsoftheCaliphate”.

35

In the evening of 21 June, ISIL blewup the al-NuriGrandMosque and al-Hadbaaminaret inwesternMosul. At the timeof the explosion, ISF had advancedonboth sites to some50meters. The SpecialRepresentative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Iraq, Mr. Ján Kubiš, stated on 22 June that thedestructionofthehistorical-NouriMosqueanditslandmarkleaningminaretbyISILwasaclearsignofitscollapseandabarbaricacttobeaddedtoISILcrimesagainstIslamic,Iraqiandhumancivilization.36On23June,theSpokespersonfortheUnitedNationsHighCommissionerforHumanRightscondemnedthe destruction of the al-NouriMosque and itsminaret, adding that “International humanitarian lawclearly prohibits such acts, and perpetrators who target these objects while being aware of theirreligiousandhistoricalcharactermaybeheldaccountableforwarcrimes(…)”.37


SomeoftheincidentsandallegedviolationsincludedinthissectionoccurredinMosulCity,whileotherstookplaceinareasofNinewaretakenbyISFbeforetheoperationsinwesternMosulstarted.


On28April2017,accordingtoanumberofsources,at least170menwereabductedwhiletheywerefleeing—dueto fightingbetween ISILand ISF—fromHatradistrict reportedly towardsHammamal-Alildistrict. One source reported that they were taken away by PMUs. Security sources confirmed toUNAMI/OHCHRthaton28April,12menfromHatradistrictwerearrestedonsuspicionofhavinglinkswithISIL.PMUsreportedlystatedthattheyhadnotorderedanyarrestnorhavetheybeeninvolvedinit.On 2 May, the Ninewa Governor held a meeting with Government security agencies and ProvincialCouncilmembersineasternMosulcity.Afact-findingteamledbytheNinewaGovernortoinvestigatethisincidentwasestablished;theresultsoftheinvestigationhadnotbeenrenderedpublicatthetimeofreporting.

On18 June,a seniorofficerand fourotherofficersof theNinewaPolicewerearrestedonchargesofkillingtwocivilianson14May,whilesearchingforISILaffiliatedpersonsintheISF-controlledal-Intisarneighbourhood in easternMosul. The fivemenwere suspected of having killed awoman and amanwhomtheyarrestedandwhosebodieswerelaterfoundburiednearMosulUniversity.

AttheendofJune,aSwedishnewpaperpublishedavideowhichappearstoshowanallegedmemberofthe Iraqi Federal Police and other alleged members of Iraqi Security Forces beating and ill-treatingdetainees. The footage includes a video interview between a journalist and a soldier—who clearlyidentifieshimself in the videos—who claims tobe anexpert inbeheadings. Subsequent images showhim allegedly committing the act and carrying around a head. He also claims to have beheaded fiftypersons.ThearticleclaimsthattheallegedperpetratorisfightingwiththeIraqiFederalPoliceForce5thDivision against ISIL. UNAMI/OHCHR could not determine the authenticity of these elements.

36 http://www.uniraq.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=6983:srsg-ján-kubiš-on-destruction-of-historic-mosque-in-mosul-by-daesh-a-clear-sign-of-terrorists-defeat&Itemid=605&lang=en(accessed22June2017)37http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=21796&LangID=E(accessed23June2017)

36

UNAMI/OHCHR called Iraqi authorities to investigate promptly and thoroughly the acts shown in thevideoandtoholdtoaccountanyISFmemberwhomayhavebeenresponsible.

On11July,avideopostedonlineshowedmeninmilitaryuniformbeatingseveralcaptives,draggingoneofthemtotheedgeofahighwall,thenthrowinghimoffthewallandshootinghimnumeroustimesashelaysonthegroundbyariver.Anotherman,alreadylyingontheground,isalsoshotnumeroustimesbytheuniformedmen.AnofficialsourcetoldUNAMI/OHCHRthattheuniformswornbypersonsinthevideo resembled those of the Iraqi Ministry of Defence. UNAMI/OHCHR was also informed that acommitteehasbeenestablishedtoinvestigatethisvideotobringperpetratorstocourt,andwillmakeitsfindingspublic.UNAMI/OHCHRcouldnotverifytheauthenticityofthevideoorestablishthelocationwhereitwasshot.

Inapressconferenceon18JulyinBaghdad,PrimeMinisterAl-AbadiacknowledgedthatIraqiforceshadcommittedviolationsinthebattletoretakeMosulfromISIL,butmaintainedthattheywere"individualacts" and that the perpetratorswould be punished. He also added that any soldierswho committedviolationswereeither“ignorant”oftheconsequencesorhadstruckadealwithISIL“todefameusandthe security forces.”38 In amedia interviewon16 September, thePrimeMinister further stated thatinitialinvestigationsintoallegationsofabusebyISFduringtheMosuloperationfoundtheywerecarriedoutbyindividualsandnot“systematic.”ThePrimeMinisteraddedthatbothsoldiersandofficershavebeenheldaccountable.39Nofurtherinformationhasbeenpublished.

§ Shelling

In the afternoon of 10May, amortar round, reportedly fired by ISF, hit a civilian house in the ISIL-controlled al-RifaeneighbourhoodofwesternMosul, killing one civilian (man) andwounding anothercivilian(man).

3-C:Airstrikes

During military operations to retake western Mosul, UNAMI/OHCHR continued to record cases ofairstrikes carried out by ISF and States participating in Operation Inherent Resolve causing civiliancasualties.Inalmostallcases,UNAMI/OHCHRcouldnotdeterminetheresponsibilityfortheairstrikes.Asignificantincreaseinciviliancasualtieswasrecordedinthethirdphaseoftheoperationscomparedtothe second (centered on easternMosul).Whereas in the second phase UNAMI/OHCHR recorded 40civilian casualties (29 killed and 11 wounded), in the third phase this number reached 700 civiliancasualties(461killedand239wounded).

On 4 March, an airstrike reportedly targeted an ISIL convoy in the ISIL-controlled Mahataneighbourhood,westernMosulcity.Sourcesreportedthatanearbycivilianresidentialcompoundwashit,killing21civilians,includingeightwomenandsixchildren,andwounding15others,includingthree

38https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tn6wzrsZgZY(PM’sofficialYouTubechannel,accessed20July2017)39https://apnews.com/a4848b07448b4ced9d06a2d17a5073af(accessed3October2017).

37

childrenandthreewomen.Sourcesalsoreportedthatanumberof ISILmilitantswerekilledandtheirvehiclesweredestroyed.

In the morning of 5 March, an airstrike reportedly targeted ISIL militants in the Nabi SheetneighbourhoodofcentralMosulcity.Acivilianhomewashit,killing13civilians,includingfourchildrenand twowomen, andwounding sevenothers, including twowomenanda child.All the victimswerefrom the same family. Sources reported that a large number of ISIL members were killed and theirweaponswere destroyed. This areawas under ISIL control at the time of the incident andwas thenretakenbyISFon7March.

Inthemorningof5March,anairstriketargetedan ISILpost inthe ISIL—controlledresidentialareaoftheSouqal-Sha’areenneighbourhood,incentralMosul.Sourcesreportedthatacivilianhomewashit,killingsevencivilians,includingtwowomen,andwoundingfiveothers,includingawoman.Inaddition,ISILmilitantsatacheckpointwerealsokilled.

Inthemorningof20March,anairstrikereportedlytargetedISILfightersintheneighbourhoodofNabiJarjees in western Mosul. The airstrike killed 11 civilians—all members of one family, including twowomenandthreechildren—andwoundedfiveothers,includingonechild.Awomanwasalsoreportedmissing.

TheCoalitionairstrikeinal-JadidaneighbourhoodofwesternMosul

SourcesreportedtoUNAMI/OHCHRthatmultipleairstrikeshitseveralhousesbetweenal-Jadidaandal-RisalaneighbourhoodsofwesternMosul from17 to23March.On17March, anairstrikehit anareabetweenal-Jadidaandal-Risalaneighbourhoods,reportedlycausingahighnumberofciviliancasualties.ItwasreportedtoUNAMI/OHCHRthatthecasualtiesmightbeduetothecombinationoftheairstrikeandIEDsplantedbyISIL.WitnessesreportedthatISILhadforciblyplacedat least140civiliansinsideahouse in the area and positioned snipers on its roof to target ISF. On 26 March, Iraqi authoritiesannounced that 61 bodies were recovered from a destroyed building in that location, withoutconfirmingthatthecasualtiesweretheresultoftheairstrike.Accordingtotheirstatement,adetonatedexplosive-ladenvehiclewasfoundnexttothedestroyedbuilding.40Operation InherentResolvestatedon26March41thatan“(…)initialreviewofstrikedatafromMarch16-23indicatesthat,attherequestofthe IraqiSecurityForces, theCoalitionstruck ISIS fightersandequipment,March17, inWestMosulatthe location corresponding to allegations of civilian casualties.” Both Iraqi authorities and theInternationalCoalitionannouncedthatinvestigationswerelaunchedontheincident.

According to information received from UNAMI/OHCHR, 162 bodies had been recovered in thatlocation.UNAMI/OHCHRcouldnotdetermineifthevictimswerecausedbythe17Marchairstrikeorbymultipleairstrikeson17Marchandinthefollowingdays.

40StatementfromJointOperationsCommand,26March2017,athttps://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1810687085925657&id=1398672927127077(accessed26March).41 Operation Inherent Resolve, Allegation of civilian casualties in West Mosul, 26 March 2017,http://www.inherentresolve.mil/News/News-Releases/Article/1130253/allegation-of-civilian-casualties-in-west-mosul/(accessed27March)

38

On25May,CombinedJointTaskForce–OperationInherentResolve(CJTF-OIR)announcedtheresultsofthe investigation on the incident. The investigation found that “(…) ISIS emplaced a large amount ofexplosive material in a structure containing a significant number of civilians and then attacked Iraqiforces from the structure.” The airstrike reportedly targeted two ISIL snipers and, according to theinvestigation, “Neither Coalition nor Iraqi forces knew that civilians were sheltered within thestructure.”42 According to the investigation, “(…) the secondary explosion of ISIS emplaced materialtriggeredarapidfailureofthestructurewhichkilledthetwoISISsnipers,101civilianssheltered inthebottom floors of the structure, and four civilians in a neighboring structure. An additional 36 civilianswhowerereportedtobeconnectedtothestructureremainunaccountedfor.”

Inthemorningof27March,anairstrikehitawarehouseintheal-BatoulHospitalintheISIL-controlledneighbourhood of al-Zanjilly of western Mosul, reportedly killing three civilians and wounding fiveothers,includingawoman.

On 30 March, airstrikes reportedly hit four ISIL sites in the ISIL-controlled Zangele neighbourhood,westernMosul,killing12civilians,includingachild,andwoundingthreeothers,includingtwochildren.Accordingtoaneyewitness, ISILmemberspreventedfamilies fromrecoveringbodiesofrelativesuntilISILhad filmed thebodies. Itwasalso reported thatvictimswereusedashumanshieldsbecause ISILhadinstalledweaponsattheincidentlocation.

Inthemorningof4April,ISILforciblygathered34civilianmeninahouseintheISIL-controlledMa’youfal-Jubouri neighbourhood of Badoush subdistrict, Mosul district. Later that day, an airstrike hit thehouse,reportedlykillingall34civiliansinsideandanunknownnumberofISILfighters.Sourcesreportednomilitaryactivity fromthehousebeforethe incident.UNAMI/OHCHRcouldnotconfirmthisspecificinformation.

In the morning of 11 April, an airstrike reportedly killed a civilian man and wounded seven othercivilians,includingawoman,intheISIL-controlledal-SihaneighbourhoodofwesternMosul.Atthetimeoftheincident,thevictimswereintheirhouse,whichliesnearanISILcompound.Boththecompoundandthehousewerereportedlyhitbytheairstrike.

Intheeveningof12April,anairstriketargetingISILintheFarouqneighbourhood,westernMosul,killedsevencivilians, including twowomenanda child,andwounded11others, including fourwomenandtwochildrenall fromthesamefamily.Anunknownnumberof ISIL fighterswerekilledandwounded.TheairstrikehitanISILcompoundandacivilianhomeadjacenttoit.

Intheeveningof27April,anairstrikeapparentlytargetinganISILvehiclehitthreecivilianhousesintheISIL-controlledal-Sihaneighbourhood,westernMosul,killing17civilians, includingsixwomenandtwochildren,andwoundingfourothers,includingawoman.

42Thetextofthepressreleaseisavailableathttp://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PRESS-RELEASES/Press-Release-View/Article/1193763/cjtf-oir-completes-airstrike-investigation/.Asummaryoftheinvestigationisavailableathttp://www.inherentresolve.mil/News/News-Releases/Article/1193707/executive-summary-of-the-investigation-of-the-alleged-civilian-casualty-inciden/(bothweblinksaccessed25May)

39

On4May,anairstrikehitahouseinISIL-controlledHawial-Kanisaneighbourhood,westMosul,killing12civilians fromone family, including fourwomenandsixchildren.Accordingtoreports, theheadofthisfamilyisanISILmemberwhowasnotathomeatthetimeoftheincident.

On15May,anairstriketargetingpassingISILvehiclesdamagedacivilianhouseintheISIL-controlledal-Rifae neighbourhood of western Mosul, killing five civilians, including two women and a child, andwounding11others,includingthreewomenandthreechildren.

On28May,anairstriketargetingan ISILconvoyhitagroupofcivilianswhile theywerewalking inal-NajafyStreet inthe ISIL-controlledOldMosulcity.Theairstrikereportedlykilled15civilians, includingfourwomenandtwochildren,andwoundedeightothers,includingachildandthreewomen.

On31May,anairstriketargetingan ISILcompoundhitseveralcivilianhousesaroundal-NasiStreet inISIL-controlled Zanjilly neighbourhood, western Mosul. The airstrike reportedly killed 84 civilians,including31womenand27children,andwounded103others,including49womenand34children.

Early morning 11 June, in al-Borsa area next to al-Markaziya high school, in ISIL-controlled al-ShifaaneighbourhoodinwestMosul,anairstrikehitahouse,killing19civiliansfromtwofamilies.

3-D:Actsthatmayamounttocollectivepunishments

UNAMI/OHCHR documented several instances of threats to families alleged to have ISIL-affiliatedmembersandforcedevictions. Insomecases,unidentifiedgroupsmadethethreatsthroughso-callednight letters ordering people to leave the area or face dire consequences. In other cases, localauthoritiesseemedtohavetakentheleadortohavefollowedthewaveofresentmentsamongcertainsegmentsofthepopulation.

On5May,underthechairmanshipoftheal-Sab’awiSunniTribalMobilizationUnitleader,theal-Sab’awiTribalCommitteemet inHajAli village, al-Qayyarah subdistrictofMosul. Theoutcomewasawrittendecisionthatsub-committeeswouldbeformedtopreparelistsofallegedISILmembersandoffamilieswithmemberssuspectedofbeingassociatedtoISIL,andthenevictthoseonthelists.Lateronthesameday,inEinMozanvillage,al-Qayyarahsubdistrict,11membersofonefamilywerereportedlyevictedbythelocalal-Sab’awicommunity.Thewrittendecision,whichappliestoallvillagesinMosuldistrictwherethe al-Sab’awi tribe are themajority and al-Sab’awi Sunni TribalMobilizationUnits have influence, isreportedtoincludethefollowingprovisions:

- An ISILmember is defined as anyone who pledged allegiance to ISIL (even for one day),carried arms and wore the ISIL outfit (the folk dress of Afghanistan), or supported orcooperatedwithISIL.

- Committees will be formed in all villages of the al-Sab’awi tribe. These committees willprepareandsubmitlistsofnamesoffamiliesofISILmembers,andexilethosefamiliesfromal-Sab’awi areas. Persons with a relative who was with ISIL, or is accused of terrorismchargesorcooperationwithISILcannotbemembersofthesecommittees.

- IfafatherhasasonwhowasamemberofISILandlivesinaseparatehousetohisfather,andthefatherhasnoconnectionwiththatson,thefatherisexemptfromevictionbutmust

40

fileacomplaintagainsthissoninacourtoflaw.

- ThewifeofanISILmembermayreturntoherfathers’housebutcannotbringchildrenshehadwiththatISILmember.

- If it is proven that a womanmarried an ISILmemberwith her parents’ consent after hepledged allegiance to ISIL, she will be exiled along with her parent’s family. Coercedmarriagesareexempt.

- HarboringamalechildofanISILmemberisprohibited.Anyfamilyprovidingsheltertosuchachildwillbeexiled.IfawomanbecomespregnantandthenhasamalechildfromanISILmilitant,thatmalechildmustbeexiledbutnotthemother.Femalechildrenborninthesecircumstancesarenottobeexiled.

- IfthefatherofanISILmemberensuresthathissonquitsISILandsurrendershimselftothepolice,thatfatherandhisfamilywillbeexcludedfrombeingexiledbutthefathermustfileacomplaintagainsthissoninacourtoflaw.

- FamiliesofthosecapturedbyISFarenotcoveredbytheserulesandprocedures.

On16May,sourcesinNinewareportedtoUNAMI/OHCHRthattheforcedevictionprocesswashaltedbyadecisionof theal-Sab’awiTribalCommittee,possibly forconcernsregardingtherepercussionsofthese acts following this issue becoming public knowledge and because of reported disagreementsbetweenmembersoftheSab’awitribe.

On9June, leafletsweredispersedbyunknownpeople indifferentmosques,storesandhouses intheeasternpartofMosulcity,threateningfamiliesallegedofhavinglinkswithISILwithkillingthemiftheydonotleavethecity.

On16June, inal-QayyarahsubdistrictofMosul,duringtheFridaysermon,the Imamofal-RummanehMosque called fordemonstrations against families linked to ISIL. Shortly afterwards in theafternoon,around400—mostlyyoung—menoftheal-Jabouritribegatheredandannouncedacampaigntoexpelfamilieswhosemembers are alleged of being linked to ISIL. The tribes of Jubour reportedly gave 48hoursto“ISILfamilies”toleavetheirvillagesandthearea,notingthat"238familiesofthemartyrsofal-QayyaracalledfamiliesofISILtoleavebecausetheycannotaccepttostaywiththemandlookatthemevery day”. In the afternoon of 17 June, 90 families who felt threathened by the campaign fled al-QayyarasubdistrictforHamamal-AlilIDPcampsandotherunknowndestinations.

On21 June,anumberofhouses ineasternMosulweremarkedwithwords like "leave"and "blood",indicatingthattheirtenantsareallegedtohavelinkswithISIL.Also,bannerswereplacedinal-Baladiyatandal-KhathraneighbourhoodsineasternMosul,callingfortheNinewaProvincialCounciltoimplementthefollowingrecommendationssubmittedbytheMosulDistrictCouncilon19June.43Thebannersalso43TherecommendationswerepostedonthepageofasocialmediaaccountoftheChairwomanoftheMosulDistrictCouncil(https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1800710433573364&set=pcb.1800710500240024&type=3&theater--accessed 29June2017).

41

urged victims of “ISIL families” to organize demonstrations to accomplish their demands. Therecommendationswereasfollows:

- NottoacceptintoMosul“ISILfamilies”displacedfromotherdistrictsandsubdistricts

- Expel“ISILfamilies”fromMosulcity

- Establishspecialcampsfor“ISILfamilies”andrehabilitatethem,andintegratethemintosocietyonlyafterconfirmingtheirresponsetorehabilitation

- Stop all other displacementmovements from other districts and subdistricts towardsMosulcity

- ReturnallIDPstotheirplaceoforigin,wheretheylivedinbefore10June2014,exceptthosewhosehomesweredestroyed

- Stopthelocal(insideMosulcity)displacementmovements,

- RelyonaresidencycardasanofficialdocumenttoprovewhetherornotanindividualisoriginallyfromMosulcity.

Between 9 and 12 July, the Asayish, the security service in the KR-I, ordered the expulsion of Yezidifamilies living in IDP camps and communities in Dohuk Governorate because of their relative’sengagementwithPopularMobilizationUnit(PMU)oradvocatingfortherightsofYezidis.Asof30July,at least20Yezidifamilies, includingat leastfivefromIDPcamps,wereexpelledfromKR-I. Inaddition,fiveotherfamilieswerealsothreatenedbuthadnotleftyet.

3-E.Incidentsattributabletounidentifiedperpetrators

In a number of cases documented by UNAMI /OHCHR, there was no indication of who the allegedperpetrators had been. In other cases, in which large numbers of bodies were recovered from thebattlefieldorbodiesandwoundedwerereceivedbyISF,noinformationwasavailablewithregardtothecircumstances inwhich thepersonswereeither killedorwounded (oron their statusof civilians andcombatants).Suchinformationisnotpresentedinthissection.

§ Killings

On22June2017,gunmenbrokeintothehouseofthemukhtarofQaberAlabdvillageofHamamal-Alilsubdistrict,Mosuldistrict,andshotdead.Theidentityoftheperpetratorsisnotknown.

On22June,gunmenshotdeadonecivilian—sonofaPMUmember—inal-KhadraareaofHamamal-Alilsubdistrict,Mosuldistrict.Theidentityoftheperpetratorsisnotknown.

On 23 June, gunmen shot and killed themukhtar and one civilian in Yarramjeh village, southeast ofMosulCity.Aftertheincident,ISFallegedlyarrestedeightsuspects,reportedlyISILsupporters.

42

On5July,atleast20civilians-men,women,andchildren-werekilledand14otherswoundedduringthecrossfire between ISIL and ISF in ISIL-controlled Imam Gharbi village, al-Qayarra subdistrict ofMosuldistrict.

§ Unidentifiedbodies

In the afternoonof 29April 2017, local residents found31unidentifiedbodieswithbulletwounds inheads and chests in a street in the retaken Huzemoya village, Tal Abta subdistrict of Talafar district.Sources reported that the victimswere in civilian clothes and therewere noweapons on or next tothem.Victims reportedlyappeared tohavebeenkilled recentlybasedon the stateof thebodiesandwounds. UNAMI/OHCHR could not get further information about the possible perpetrators and thecircumstancessurroundingtheirdeath.Reportsindicatedthatthesevictimscouldbeofsomeofthosemissing from Hatra district (see subsection on ‘Unlawful killings and abductions’ in the section on‘ViolationscommittedbyISFandassociatedforces’),butnoconfirmationwasreceived.

§ BodiesdeliveredtoISF

BySeptember,theCivilDefenceCorpsreportedthattheyhaverecoveredtheremainsof1,642civiliansfromthestreetsandrubblesofMosul,ofwhichallbutthreecamefromwesternMosul,andthatlaterthose bodieswere handed over to familymembers. The Civil Defence Corps reported that they onlycollectbodiesofciviliansfromtherubblewhereasMunicipalityandHealthDirectorateareresponsibleforcollectingISILbodies.Anadditional21bodieswerefoundinthebasementoftheal-ShifaHospitalinwesternMosul.Thebodies—includingthatofapregnantwomanandfourchildren—hadbeenpartiallyburiedinthebasementandboregunshotwounds.

Section4

DiscoveryofmassgravesAsISFandassociatedforcesprogressivelyretookareaspreviouslyunderthecontrolofISIL,massgravescontinuedtobediscovered.Thenumberofbodiescontainedintheselocationsvariedgreatly,fromoneplace containing two partially buried bodies in a village in Shura subdistrict ofMosul to a sink hole,knownasal-Khasfa,nearAlathbavillageinsouthernMosul,possiblycontainingseveralthousandbodies.

On7November,amassgravecontainingat least100bodieswasdiscoveredbyIraqiFederalPolice intheAgricultureCollegebuildinginHamamal-AlilsubdistrictofMosuldistrict.Someofthebodieswerebeheaded and some reportedly bore bulletwounds to the head and chest andwere blindfolded andhandcuffed at the back. Three of the bodies reportedly wore ISF uniforms, with one of the bodiesbeheaded.A source reported that the victimswere fromal-Houd village in al-Qayyarah subdistrict ofMosulandwerekilledbyISILonanunspecifieddateforreportedlyrisingupagainstthegroupwhenISFcommenced operations to retake Mosul on 17 October. Reportedly the victims include women andchildren.On 13April 2017, itwas reported toUNAMI/OHCHR that themass grave in theAgricultureCollegebuildingcontained125bodiesofciviliansfromthesubdistrictsofShuraandHamamal-AlilandaddedthatISILhadpiledthemupandrunoverthemseveraltimeswithabulldozer.

43

AseriesofmediareportsregardingallegeddiscoveriesofmassgraveswerepublishedinsecondhalfofNovember2016,butUNAMI/OHCHRcouldnotverifythesereports:

- On18November,ISFdiscoveredamassgraveoutsidethevillageofTallAdh-Dhahab,inHamamal-AlilsubdistrictofMosul.Themassgravereportedlycontainedtheremainsof40individuals.

- On21Novemberamassgravecontainingaround200bodieswasdiscovered intheHammamAl-Alilarea.

- On 27 November, two mass graves, 150 meters apart, were discovered near the village ofShababik,30kmfromSinjarcity.Theyreportedlycontainedat least18bodiesofmembersoftheYezidicommunity(mostlymales).

On29 January2017, ISF reportedlydiscoveredamass grave in theRashidiya areaof northernMosulallegedlycontainingthebodiesof27SunniTurkmencivilianskilledby ISIL inanundeterminedperiod.Thebodiesboregunshotwoundsintheheadsandchests.

Al-KhasfaandBadoushmassgraves

Two mass graves discovered in the course of military operations were reported to contain largenumbersofbodies.

On 24 February, UNAMI/OHCHR received pictures of a mass grave near Alathba village in southernMosul.Mediareportedthatthebodieswerefoundinasinkhole,whichalsocontainedmetalandotherrefuse dumped there by ISIL. According to reports, potentially thousands of civilians and former ISFpersonnelwerekilledbyISILanddumpedinthesinkhole,knownasal-Khasfa(alsoknownlocallyasal-Khafsa). Authorities reported that the area is infested with landmines and remained off limits.International NGOs specializing in exhumations reported that the number of bodies contained in themassgravecouldnotbeconfirmedatthisstageandthatitcouldtakeyearstoexhumeandidentifytheremainsduetothedifficultiesofaccessandfearsofIEDsbeingplacedamongsttheremains.

On11March,PMUsreported thediscoveryofamassgraveofabout500bodiesofciviliansallegedlykilled by ISIL on 10 June 2014 near Badoush prison in Hmedat subdistrict of Mosul district.UNAMI/OHCHR previously reported on amass killing committed by ISIL near Badoush prison in June2014.44

On13April,twosourcesreportedtheexistenceofthreenewmassgravesinHammamal-Alilsubdistrict:amass grave in al Arij village, containing 35 bodies of former ISF personnel, and twomass graves inZaghroutiyavillagecontainingatleast20bodiesofformerISFpersonnel.

On 30 May, PMUs reportedly found four mass graves in Kocho village, Qayrawan subdistrict, SinjarDistrict. It was reported to UNAMI/OHCHR that these four mass graves may reportedly contain the44 Report on the Protection of Civilians in the Non International Armed Conflict in Iraq: 5 June – 5 July 2014, p. 10,(http://www.uniraq.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=itemlist&layout=category&task=category&id=164&Itemid=650&lang=en&limitstart=6(accessed16March).On10June2014, ISILstormedBadoushprisonandkilledexecution-styleat least400Shi’aprisonersinavalleynotfarfromtheprison.

44

remainsofaround300Yezidivictims.UNAMI/OHCHRpreviouslyreportedonmasskillingsofYezidisinKochovillageinAugust2015.45

On1June,PMUsreportedly foundfivemassgraves inal-Qahtaniyasubdistrict,Ba’ajdistrict.Threeofthosemass graves are located in the Siba Shikh Khider residential complex area and two in the GirZirkasivillage.ItwasreportedtoUNAMI/OHCHRthattheremainsmightbeofYezidiskilledbyISIL.

On 3 August, the Civil Defence Corps conducted an operation to clear rubble in al-Sha’areenneighbourhood,westernMosul.Duringtheoperation,theCivilDefenceCorpsfoundamassgraveof24bodiesincasualdress,includingeightchildrenandfourwomen.Accordingtoreports,thebodieswerefoundburiedinthegraveanddecomposed.Onthesameday,CivilDefenceCorpshandedthosebodiestotheDepartmentofHealth inwesternMosul for forensictests.ThevictimswerereportedlycivilianskilledbyISILonanundetermineddate.

On13August,theengineeringtroopsofIraqiFederlPolicefoundamassgraveof25bodiesinHawial-Kanisa neighbourhood,westernMosul,while conducting an operation to clear areas frommines andERW.Accordingtoreports,thebodieswereburiedanddecomposed.Someoftheirbodyparts,suchashands,fingersandlegsweremutilated.Onthesameday,theIraqiFederalPolicehandedtheremainsovertothehospitalforforensictestinwesternMosul.Accordingtoreports,allthevictimswerecivilianmenincasualdressandhadreportedlybeenkilledbyISIL.

On 30 September, Peshmerga found amass grave nearby al-Zaytouna village, six kilometers southofSinjar city inSinjardistrict.Themassgravecontained14bodiesofYezidis, including fourwomenandthree children. Sources stated the victims had reportedly been killed by ISIL in August 2014. On 1October,ateamofDohukProvincialCouncilvisitedthemassgravesiteafterreceivingapprovalfromtheCourtofAppealandfenceditforfurtherprotectionandinvestigation.

UNAMI/OHCHRcontinuestoadvocatewiththeGovernmentof Iraqfortheprotectionofmassgraves,alongwithappropriatecareandmeasures toexcavatesuchsitesandexhumeand identify themortalremains, and to preserve evidence of crimes committed; including any that may lead to theidentificationofperpetrators.

Section5

ImpactofarmedconflictonjournalistsandmediapersonnelcoveringtheconflictMedia personnel also suffered casualtieswhile trying to coverMosul operations. At least fivemediastaffwerekilledandatleast19otherswerewounded.Whereasinsomecasesmediastaffmighthavebeentargeteddirectly,inothercasestheywereaffectedduetotheirproximitytoconflictareas.Inthemajorityofthecases, ISILwasresponsiblefortheincidents; inafewothercases,theperpetratorsarenotknown.Intwocases,thevictimwereforeignjournalists.

45ReportontheProtectionofCiviliansintheArmedConflictinIraq:11Septo10Dec2014,p.16,athttp://www.uniraq.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=3363:report-on-the-protection-of-civilians-in-armed-conflict-in-iraq-11-september-10-december-2014&Itemid=650&lang=en(accessed9June2017)

45

Severalincidentsinvolvingcasualtiesamongstmediaworkersoccurredon20October2016:.

- Two journalists were reportedly wounded in Qaim Village on the frontline in Nawaran, asubdistrictofBashiqadistrict,NinewaGovernorate,whenanISILfighterdrivingavehicleladenwith explosives targeted Peshmerga and a TV crew from the Kurdish-language Speda TVchannel.

- Near Batnaya Village in Tilkef, 18 km north of Mosul city, two WAAR TV journalists werereportedlywoundedbyaroadsidebomb.

- A journalist with al-Forat TVwaswounded by an ISILmortar shell whilst covering theMosuloperationsinBartalahsubdistrictofal-Hamdaniyadistrict.

- Ajournalistwithal-IraqiaTVwasallegedlywoundedbyanISILsniperwhilstcoveringtheMosuloperationsinBartalahsubdistrictofal-Hamdaniyadistrict.

Inthemorningof4November,anal-IraqiyaNewscorrespondentwasreportedlywoundedbyshellinginthe al-Khathra’ neighbourhood of easternMosul.On the sameday, an al-Sumariya TV camerapersonwasreportedlyseriouslywoundedbyamortarroundintheKaramaneighbourhoodofeasternMosul.

On17November2016,arocketfiredbyISILtargetingISFreportedlywoundedaK24TVcameramanintheTahreerneighbourhoodofeasternMosul.

On 26 November, a journalist working with the PMUs’ War Media Cell was reportedly shot andwoundedbyanISILsniperwhilecoveringtheMosuloperationsinTalafarCity.

On10December, localmedia reportedthat ISILallegedlypubliclykilleda former journalist inDawasaneighbourhood in centralMosul. The victimwas allegedly accused by an ISIL self-appointed court ofcooperatingwithISF.

On14January,ajournalistwasshotinthechestbyanISILsniperwhilehewasbroadcastingliveintheJamiahneighbourhoodofMosul.

Intheafternoonof16January,twojournalistswereseriouslywoundedbyanattack—allegedlybyISIL—usingadronecarryingexplosives inthe justretakenneighbourhoodofNabiYounis (nearFaysaliya)ofeasternMosul.

In themorningof13February,an ISIL snipershotanAlgerian female journalist in theheadwhileshewas covering military operations in Tal Afar district, west of Mosul. Apparently, the journalist waswearingaPresssign.ThevictimwastransferredtoBaghdadformedicaltreatmentduetotheseverityofherwounds.ThevictimworksfortheAlgerianTVstation‘Mujamma’al-Shurouq.

Intheafternoonof24February,whilstfiringatISF,anISILsnipershotandwoundedajournalistfromal-NujabaaTVinSahajiareainsouthernMosulcity.

In theafternoonof25February,a landmineallegedlyplantedby ISILnearamassgravenearAlathbavillageinsouthernMosulexplodedkillingafemalejournalistfromRudawMediaNetworkandwoundinghercameraman.

46

On12June,intherecentlyreclaimedZanjillyneighbourhood,westernMosul,ajournalistfromAfaqTVchannelwasshotandwounded.Sourcesattributedtheshooting to ISILsniper fire.The journalistwashospitalizedinacriticalcondition.

On19June,thedetonationofamineattheOldCityfrontlinekilledoneFrenchjournalistandanIraqijournalist andwounded twoFrench journalists.Media reportedon24 June thatoneof thewoundedjournalistsdiedofherwounds.

On7July,anISILsniperallegedlyshotandkilledtwojournalistsofHunaSalahal-DinTVwhilecoveringthefightingbetweenISILandISFinImamGharbivillageofal-Qayarrasubdistrict,Mosuldistrict.

ConclusionsandrecommendationsAfter a battle that lasted nine months, Iraqi Security Forces and forces operating in support of theGovernment of Iraq retook Mosul City and its surrounding areas from ISIL and formally ended thecampaignwiththeannouncementofPrimeMinisterAl-Abadion10July2017.Withregardtothebattleto retake Mosul and its surrounding areas, the Government adopted a humanitarian concept ofoperationsthatprioritisedprotectionofcivilians,whichwassupportedbyreligiousleaders(Marjaya).

ISIL has left significant destruction in itswake, having based itself intentionally in civilian property orinfrastructuretoensureitsdestruction,ordeliberatelydestroyinginfrastructurepriorto itsdeparture,or leaving structures (private andpublic) infestedwith explosive deviceswhich are proving deadly tocivilians remaining in or attempting to return to those areas and to security personal attempting toensure security in thoseareas. Large scale and comprehensiveeffortswill be required toensure thatIDPswillbeabletoreturntotheirplacesoforiginindignityandsafetyandinfullrespectfortheirrights,butalsotoreconstructcommunitiesthathavebeenshatteredasaresultoftheconflict.

ThereareongoingconcernswithregardtoareasretakenfromISIL,wherecivilianshavebeensubjectedtothreats,physicalabuse,abductions,destructionofproperty,andonoccasion,killings.Insomeareasthere have been reports of collective punishments, with family members of people accused orsuspectedofbeingassociatedwithISILbeingexpelledfromtheirhomesortheirhomesdestroyed.

Ensuringappropriateaccountabilitymechanisms, includingformalandnonformal justicemechanisms,will be essential to establish a foundation of personal and community reconciliation that will assistcommunities to return to their places of origin following displacement, facilitate the restoration andreconstructionofthosecommunities,aswellassupporttheprocessofrebuildingtrustbetweenIraq’sdiverseethnicandreligiouscommunitiesinsupportofnationalreconciliation.Inthisregard,institutingan appropriate documentation process, to document and collect evidence of crimes, human rightsviolations and abuses that have been committed in connection with the ongoing conflict, nomatterwhen,whereorbywhothesehavebeencommitted,isvitalasaninitialsteptoensuringjusticeforthevictimsandsurvivorsof thesecrimes,abusesandviolations,butalso inenablingtheaccountabilityofthe perpetrators. Evidence collection and documentation must be carried out at a requisite judicialstandard topotentially support formal justiceprocesses, includingprosecution,butalso topermit thevictimsandsurvivorstohavetheirtestimoniesofficiallyandappropriatelydocumentedandcollectedtoenablenon-formaljusticeprocessestosupporttheirrecoveryandrehabilitation.

47

TheGovernmentofIraqandtheKurdistanRegionalGovernmentshouldensurethatcrimescommittedinconnectiontothearmedconflictareappropriatelysubjecttothe jurisdictionofnationalcourtsandtribunals.Currently,Iraqicourtsandtribunalsdonothavejurisdictionoverinternationalcrimes(suchasgenocide, crimes against humanity andwar crimes)– andprosecutors, police investigators and judgeslack capacity to thoroughly undertake the investigation, charge and try persons in relation to suchcrimes.Iraqicriminallegislationalsolackssufficientguaranteesofdueprocessandfairtrialsstandards–which are of particularly concern and which will need to be addressed through comprehensivelegislative,institutionalandpolicyreforms.

ToensurethatnationaleffortsofaccountabilityoperateeffectivelytheGovernmentofIraqshouldtakemeasures to ensure that no “accountability gap” can exist which can permit perpetrators to evadejustice, either nationally or internationally. For this reason the Government of Iraq should considerbecomingapartytotheStatuteoftheInternationalCriminalCourt,andaccepttheCourt’sjurisdictioninrelationtothecurrentconflictunderarticle12(3)oftheRomeStatute,andmustidentifyotherwaystoensure that the internationalcrimescommittedon its territorycanbe triedbyacompetentCourt.ThiswouldreassuretheinternationalcommunitythatIraqisseriousaboutensuringtheaccountabilityofindividualswhohavecommittedinternationalcrimes,andalsosupporttheinternationalcommunityinfulfillingitsobligationstoensurethattheperpetratorsofsuchcrimesarebroughttojustice.

Theprocessofcollectingevidenceanddocumentationof thecrimescommittedduringthisconflictaswellasotherviolationsofinternationalhumanitarianlawandviolationsandabusesofhumanrightslawcould be used as a basis of extending the process across the country to include all communities andindividuals in Iraq as a means of a process of transitional justice, such as through truth tellingcommissionsorother suchmechanisms, alongwithmechanismsof support for the victimsof crimes,violationsandabuses,andpotentiallyaccountabilityforsomeoftheperpetrators,inaprocessthatwillprovidesome justice fordecadesofhumanrightsviolations that thepeopleof Iraqhavesuffered,nomatterwhen,whereorbywhomsuchviolationswerecommitted,andtherebyofferaprocesstorebuildtrustbetweencommunitiesinsupportofadurable,nationalreconciliation.

Aspartofthisprocess,thecareandprotectionofevidenceisparamount.Massgravesareparticularlyvulnerableowingtoacurrent lackofforensiccapacityandresources,bothbytheGovernmentof IraqandtheGovernmentof theKR-I.BothGovernmentscurrently lack thecapacity toprotectmassgravesites,withtheresultthatgrievingfamilymembersopenthegravesinanattempttolocatetheremainsof their missing loved ones, or the Governments succumb to public pressure and open the graveswithout the necessary resources to protect and preserve information and evidence, includinginformationthatmightbeessentialtoproperlyidentifythevictimstoensurethereturnoftheremainstolovedones,andevidencethatmightserveinensuringtheaccountabilityofperpetrators.

Thecareandprotectionofthesurvivorsofcrimes,violationsandabuses, inthecontextofthearmedconflict, is urgently needed. Thousands of women, children and men have been subjected to grossphysicalandsexualviolenceandgrossviolationsandabusesof theirhumanrights.Thesheerscaleofthesufferingisbeyondthescantresourcesavailableintermsofmedicalandpsycho-socialsupport.Ofparticularconcernistherecovery,rehabilitationandreintegrationofwomenandchildren,particularly

48

thosesubjectedtosexualandphysicalviolence,includingslavery,aswellaschildrensubjectedtoforcedremoval from their families and indoctrination by ISIL. Many ethnic and religious communities havebeen directly affected by ISIL’s programme aimed at the permanent suppression, expulsion oreliminationoftheircommunities–andwayshavetobefoundthatwillsupportvulnerablegroups,suchaswomenandchildren,empowerthemwithintheircommunities,andensuretheircareandprotectionbeyondtheimmediatemedical,psycho-socialandothersupportthatisrequired.

Rebuilding trust within communities in Ninewa will also be essential if a true reconciliation is to beachieved. ISIL’sactionshavecreated riftswithinmanyethnicand religiouscommunities, forexample,creating divisions between Shi’a Shabak and Sunni Shabak, Sunni Turkoman against Shi’a Turkoman,YezidiagainstYezidi,ChristiansagainstChristians,andArabShi’aagainstSunni,etc. It isessential thatinitiatives be undertaken to restore trust within these communities, centring on commonalities ofinterestaroundissuesthataffectthemallequally,suchassecurity,accesstoservicesandrespectandprotectionoftheirrightsasacommunity,asameansofrebuildingtrustwithincommunitiesbutalsoasameans of promoting the common interests shared by the diverse ethnic and religious groups as afoundationforcommunityreconciliation.Thiswillalsobeessential if thevoicesof thesecommunitiesaretobeheardinpoliticalandotherdebates,whichmayinformthefuturesettlementofIraq.

Asamatterofurgency,UNAMI/OHCHRrecommendsthefollowing:

TotheGovernmentofIraq:

1. Investigateeffectively,promptly,thoroughly,andimpartiallyallallegationsofviolationsorabusesofinternational human rights law and humanitarian law by all parties to the conflict and, whereappropriate,prosecute thosewhoare foundresponsible forsuchacts.Ensure that the findingsofsuchinvestigationsaremadepublic.

2. Ensure that arrests of individuals in connectionwith theongoing conflict are carriedout on legalgroundsonlyand supportedbycredibleand sufficientevidence,and thatalldueprocessand fairtrialrightsguaranteedbytheConstitutionofIraqandinternationallawarefullyrespected.

3. Ensure that individuals and families with allegedly ISIL-affiliated relatives are not subjected tothreats and forced evictions, which may amount to collective punishment and are in clearcontravention of the Constitution of Iraq and international human rights and humanitarian lawbindingonIraq, includingtheInternationalCovenantonCivilandPoliticalRightsratifiedbyIraqin1971.

4. Ensurethat,assoonaspracticablypossibleafterliberationofareasfromISILcontrol,responsibilityforlawandorderisrestoredtocontrolofIraqicivilianauthorities,andthatmeasuresaretakentoensure the human rights and basic humanitarian needs of civilians residing in those areas orvoluntarilyreturningaremet.Also,continueoperationstomarkandcleartheunexplodedordnancefromtheaffectedareasimmediatelyafterretakingtheareafromISIL.

5. Ensure the rights of all victims to an effective remedy, including the right to equal and effectiveaccesstojusticeandadequate,effective,andpromptreparationfortheharmsuffered.

49

6. Ensure thatsurvivorsofhumanrightsviolations,particularlyof sexualandgender-basedviolence,receiveadequatesupport,includingpsycho-socialsupportandmedicalcare.

7. UrgetheGovernmentofIraqtoimplementfullythecommitmentssetoutintheJointCommuniquéon the Prevention and Response to Conflict-Related Sexual Violence and toaccelerate theestablishmentofanInter-MinisterialTaskforcetooverseeandmonitoritsimplementation.

8. Ensuretheprotectionofmassgraves,alongwithappropriatecareandmeasurestoexcavatesuchsitesandexhumeandidentifythemortalremains,andtopreserveevidenceofcrimescommitted;including any that may lead to the identification of perpetrators. Conduct independent, publiccoronialinquiriesintoeachmassgrave,toidentifythevictims,collectevidenceofwrongdoing,andfully investigate and determine the circumstances that led to the deaths of the individualsconcerned; ensure that family members of victims and missing persons are provided with allavailableinformationandadequateandtimelyfinancial,materialandotherassistance.

9. Introduce amendments to the Iraqi Criminal Law to grant domestic courts jurisdiction overinternationalcrimescommittedinIraq.

10. AccedetotheRomeStatuteoftheInternationalCriminalCourt.Asan immediatestep,accepttheexercise of the Court’s jurisdiction with respect to the specific situation faced by the country,pursuanttoArticle12(3)oftheRomeStatute.

Totheinternationalcommunity:

11. Thoroughly investigate all incidents which allegedly caused civilian casualties and in which theinternationalcommunitywasinvolved,makingtheresultsoftheinvestigationspublic.

12. The internationalcommunity, includingtheUnitedNationsSecurityCouncilandtheHumanRightsCouncil, should continue to closely follow the situation in Iraq with a view to ensuring thatperpetratorsofgrossviolationsandabusesofhumanrightsandseriousviolationsof internationalhumanitarianlawareheldaccountable.

13. The international community should continue to support the Governments of Iraq and KurdistanRegion to address the security concerns and humanitarian needs of persons displaced by theongoing armed conflict and those returning to their homes in full compliancewith humanitarianprinciples.

14. Provide theGovernmentof Iraqwith all necessary assistance in its identification, excavation, andinvestigationofmassgraves.

15. Compensationshouldbeprovidedtorelativesofcivilianskilledandtocivilianswoundedinairstrikesinwhichciviliancasualtieswereproven,suchasthatinal-JadidaneighbourhoodofwesternMosulon17March.

Mosul report 17Oct2016-10Jul2017, FINAL as of 30 October 2017 · battle for eastern Mosul, that...

Documents

Transcript of Mosul report 17Oct2016-10Jul2017, FINAL as of 30 October 2017 · battle for eastern Mosul, that...