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Iraq crisis: Islamic State accused of ethnic cleansing | Iraq crisis: Islamic State accused of ethnic cleansing |
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Amnesty International says it has new evidence Islamic State militants are carrying out "a wave of ethnic cleansing" against minorities in northern Iraq. | Amnesty International says it has new evidence Islamic State militants are carrying out "a wave of ethnic cleansing" against minorities in northern Iraq. |
The human rights group said IS had turned the region into "blood-soaked killing fields". | The human rights group said IS had turned the region into "blood-soaked killing fields". |
The UN earlier announced it was sending a team to Iraq to investigate "acts of inhumanity on an unimaginable scale". | The UN earlier announced it was sending a team to Iraq to investigate "acts of inhumanity on an unimaginable scale". |
IS and allied Sunni rebels have seized large swathes of Iraq and Syria. | IS and allied Sunni rebels have seized large swathes of Iraq and Syria. |
Thousands of people have been killed, the majority of them civilians, and more than a million have been forced to flee their homes in recent months. | Thousands of people have been killed, the majority of them civilians, and more than a million have been forced to flee their homes in recent months. |
Amnesty says it has gathered proof that several mass killings took place in the northern region of Sinjar in August. The worst attacks include: | |
"IS is carrying out despicable crimes and has transformed rural areas of Sinjar into blood-soaked killing fields in its brutal campaign to obliterate all trace of non-Arabs and non-Sunni Muslims," the UK-based Amnesty group said. | |
On Monday, the United Nations Human Rights Council agreed to deploy an emergency mission to investigate crimes allegedly carried out by IS. | On Monday, the United Nations Human Rights Council agreed to deploy an emergency mission to investigate crimes allegedly carried out by IS. |
Deputy Human Rights Commissioner Flavia Pansieri warned that IS (formerly known as Isis) was targeting Christian, Yazidi, Turkmen, Shabak, Kaka'i, Sabean and Shia communities "through particularly brutal persecution". | Deputy Human Rights Commissioner Flavia Pansieri warned that IS (formerly known as Isis) was targeting Christian, Yazidi, Turkmen, Shabak, Kaka'i, Sabean and Shia communities "through particularly brutal persecution". |
Family reunions | Family reunions |
Meanwhile, Iraqi Shia militias and Kurdish forces have continued their advance against IS, seizing the militant stronghold of Suleiman Beg on Monday. | Meanwhile, Iraqi Shia militias and Kurdish forces have continued their advance against IS, seizing the militant stronghold of Suleiman Beg on Monday. |
Earlier, the joint forces had broken a two-month siege by IS fighters in the northern town of Amerli. | Earlier, the joint forces had broken a two-month siege by IS fighters in the northern town of Amerli. |
The militias said Iran had played a role in the recent operations, supplying weapons and helping with military planning. | The militias said Iran had played a role in the recent operations, supplying weapons and helping with military planning. |
Thousands of minority Shia Turkmen had been holding out in Amerli, and the UN had expressed fears there could be a massacre if IS captured it. | Thousands of minority Shia Turkmen had been holding out in Amerli, and the UN had expressed fears there could be a massacre if IS captured it. |
The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse, who entered the town on Monday, found residents happy to be reunited with their families. | The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse, who entered the town on Monday, found residents happy to be reunited with their families. |
They told him there was a huge amount of work to do to get back to normal. | They told him there was a huge amount of work to do to get back to normal. |
Our correspondent says there are still pockets of IS resistance in the area, meaning that travel to the town remains problematic. | Our correspondent says there are still pockets of IS resistance in the area, meaning that travel to the town remains problematic. |
Outgoing Prime Minister Nouri Maliki visited Amerli on Monday, saying: "Our enemy is retreating and our security forces backed by volunteers are advancing to purge further towns." | Outgoing Prime Minister Nouri Maliki visited Amerli on Monday, saying: "Our enemy is retreating and our security forces backed by volunteers are advancing to purge further towns." |
Correspondents say the recent advances are the biggest success by Iraqi and Kurdish forces against IS in recent months. | Correspondents say the recent advances are the biggest success by Iraqi and Kurdish forces against IS in recent months. |