Report on the Protection of Civilians

in the Armed Conflict in Iraq:

1 May –31 October 2015

HUMANRIGHTSOfficeoftheUnitedNations

HighCommissionerforHumanRights

UNAMIUnitedNationsAssistanceMissionforIraq–HumanRightsOffice

“Despitetheirsteadylossestoprogovernmentforces,thescourgeofISILcontinuestokill,maimanddisplaceIraqiciviliansinthethousandsandtocauseuntoldsuffering.Istronglyreiteratemycallto

allpartiesoftheconflicttoensuretheprotectionofciviliansfromtheeffectsofviolence.IalsocallontheinternationalcommunitytoenhanceitssupporttotheGovernmentofIraq'shumanitarian,stabilisationandreconstructioneffortsinareasretakenfromISIL,sothatallIraqisdisplacedbyviolencecanreturntotheirhomesinsafetyandindignityandthataffectedcommunitiescanbe

reestablishedintheirplacesoforigin."

−Mr.JánKubiš

SpecialRepresentativeoftheUnitedNationsSecretary-GeneralinIraq,5January2016,Baghdad

“ArmedviolencecontinuestotakeanobscenetollonIraqiciviliansandtheircommunities.TheGovernmentofIraq,supportedbytheinternationalcommunity,mustcontinueitseffortstoprovideappropriatecareandprotectionforthehundredsofthousandsofcivilianswhohavesufferedfromhumanrightsviolationsandabuses.Theinternationalcommunity,includingtheUnitedNations

SecurityCouncilandtheHumanRightsCouncil,shouldcontinuetocloselyfollowthesituationinIraqwithaviewtoensuringthatperpetratorsofgrossviolationsandabusesofhumanrightsandserious

violationsofinternationalhumanitarianlawareheldaccountable.”

-Mr.ZeidRa'adAlHussein

UnitedNationsHighCommissionerforHumanRights,5January2016,Geneva

Contents

Summary............................................................................................................................i

Introduction......................................................................................................................1

Methodology.....................................................................................................................1

Background.......................................................................................................................2

Legalframework................................................................................................................4

Impactoftheconflictoncivilians.......................................................................................5Civiliancasualties.....................................................................................................................................5Conflict-relateddisplacementofcivilians................................................................................................6Accesstobasicservicesandhumanitarianassistance.............................................................................7

ViolationsandabusescommittedbyISIL...........................................................................8Killingsandabductions.............................................................................................................................8Conductofoperations...........................................................................................................................14Attacksonindividualsonthebasisofsexualorientation......................................................................17Attacksonwomenandchildren............................................................................................................17Attacksonethnicandreligiousminoritycommunities..........................................................................19Denialofotherfundamentalrightsandfreedoms................................................................................19

ViolationsandabusescommittedbyIraqisecurityforcesandassociatedforces..............20Restrictionsonfreedomofmovement..................................................................................................20Unlawfulkillings.....................................................................................................................................21Abductions.............................................................................................................................................22Attacksagainstethnicandreligiouscommunities.................................................................................23Conductofoperations...........................................................................................................................23

Violationsandabusescommittedbyunidentifiedactors.................................................27Unlawfulkillings.....................................................................................................................................27Abductions.............................................................................................................................................28Bombingsofciviliansandcivilianinfrastructureandproperty..............................................................29Shelling...................................................................................................................................................29

Massgraves.....................................................................................................................30

Conclusionsandrecommendations..................................................................................31

Annex1:Glossary............................................................................................................35

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SummaryThis Report on the Protection of Civilians in the Armed Conflict in Iraq is published jointly by theUnited Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and the Office of the United Nations HighCommissionerforHumanRights(OHCHR).Itcoverstheperiodof1Mayto31October2015.

Civilianscontinuetosufferthemostfromfromthenon-internationalarmedconflict inIraq.From1January2014through31October2015,UNAMI/OHCHRrecordedat least55,047civiliancasualtiesasaresultoftheconflict,with18,802peoplekilledand36,245wounded.

During the reporting period, from 1 May to 31 October 2015, the ongoing violence caused aminimumof10,911civiliancasualties,killingat least3,855personsandwounding7,056.Baghdadwas themost affected governorate,with aminimum of 6,168 civilian casualties (1,875 killed and4,293wounded),followedbyAnbar(452killedand1,421wounded)andDiyala(658killedand918wounded).

Owingtodifficulties inundertakingverificationof incidentsrecordedbyUNAMI/OHCHR,theactualnumber of civilian causalities could bemuch higher than recorded. Figures for casualties in AnbarGovernorate (which cover the full reportingperiodexcept forOctober2015)wereprovidedby theAnbarHealthDirectorateandmightnotfullyreflecttheactualnumberofcasualties inthoseareasduetotheincreasedvolatilityofthesituationthereandthedisruptionofservices.

Inaddition,thenumberofcivilianswhohavediedfromthesecondaryeffectsofarmedconflictandviolence–suchaslackofaccesstobasicfood,waterormedicalcare–isunknown.

Civilians continue to flee their homes and communities in massive numbers. From January 2014through 29 September 2015, a total of 3,206,736 persons became internally displaced in Iraq,includingover1millionschoolagegirlsandboys.87percentofthese internallydisplacedpersons(IDPs)originatefromthreegovernorates–Anbar,Ninewa,andSalahal-Din.Thepersistentviolenceand scale of the displacement continue to impact IDPs’ access to basic services, such as housing,cleanwaterandeducation.

TheviolencesufferedbyciviliansinIraqremainsstaggering.Theso-called“IslamicStateofIraqandthe Levant” (ISIL) continues to commit systematic and widespread violence and abuses ofinternationalhumanrightslawandhumanitarianlaw.Theseactsmay,insomeinstances,amounttowarcrimes,crimesagainsthumanity,andpossiblygenocide.1

Duringthereportingperiod,ISILkilledandabductedscoresofcivilians,ofteninatargetedmanner.Victims includethoseperceivedtobeopposedto ISIL ideologyandrule;personsaffiliatedwiththeGovernment, such as former Iraqi security forces (ISF), police officers, former public officials andelectoral workers; professionals, such as doctors and lawyers; journalists; and tribal and religiousleaders.Othershavebeenabductedand/orkilledonthepretextofaidingorprovidinginformationtoGovernmentsecurityforces.ManyhavebeensubjectedtoadjudicationbyISILself-appointedcourtswhich,inadditiontoorderingthemurderofcountlesspeople,haveimposedgrimpunishmentssuchasstoningandamputations.

ISIL continues to target members of different ethnic and religious communities, systematicallypersecuting these groups and subjecting them to a range of abuses and violations. These actsexemplify ISIL apparent policy of suppressing, permanently expelling, or destroying somecommunities.Women and children remain particularly vulnerable, with ongoing reports of sexual

1 SeeReport of theOffice of theUnitedNationsHighCommissioner forHumanRights on the human rightssituation in Iraq in the light of abuses committed by the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant andassociated groups of 13 March 2015, A/HRC/28/18. Available online at < http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/RegularSessions/Session28/Documents/A_HRC_28_18_AUV.doc#sthash.nSedR2BP.dpuf>accessed10November2015.

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violence, includingsexualslavery,andtheforciblerecruitmentanduseofchildreninhostilities. ISILseverelyrestrictsallfundamentalrightsandfreedomsacrossallareasunderitscontrol.

ISILhascontinued toattackcivilianandprotectedobjects in theconductof itsoperations.Sitesofreligiousandculturalsignificanceareparticularlytargeted.Civilianhomeshavealsobeendestroyed,sometimesbecausetheybelongedtomembersofgroupstargetedbyISIL,ortorelativesorperceivedsympathizersofthosefightingISIL.Reportsontheuseofchemicalweaponscontinuetobereceived,althoughthesecouldnotbeverifiedbyUNAMI/OHCHR.

UNAMI/OHCHR also continued to receive reports of violations and abuses of international humanrightsandviolationsofinternationalhumanitarianlawbyISFandassociatedforces,includingmilitiaandtribalforces(Shi’a,Sunniandothers),popularmobilizationunits(PMUs),andPeshmerga(pro-Governmentforces).

Concerning reports have been received of unlawful killings and abductions perpetrated by pro-Government forces. Someof these incidentsmayhavebeen reprisalsagainstpersonsperceived tosupportorbeassociatedwithISIL.

Moreover, as civilians move around the country, fleeing violence, they have continued to faceGovernmentrestrictionsontheirabilitytoaccesssafeareas.Oncetheyreachsuchareas,somehaveexperiencedarbitraryarrestinraidsbysecurityforcesandothershavebeenforciblyexpelled.

Theconductofpro-Governmentforces’operationsraisesconcernthattheyarecarriedoutwithouttaking all feasible precautions to protect the civilian population and civilian objects. In particular,UNAMI/OHCHRcontinuedtoreceivereportsofciviliancasualtiescausedbyairstrikes.Reportshavealso been received of pro-Government forces apparently deliberately destroying civilianinfrastructure.

In a number of cases, it has been impossible to identify the perpetrators of violations and abusescommitted, largelywithin liberated areas under Government control, during the reporting period.These include instancesofmurder, intimidationandthreats,abductions,andtheuseof improvisedexplosivedevices,vehicle-bornimprovisedexplosivedevices,andsuicidebomberstotargetciviliansorcivilianinfrastructure.

Serious concerns for thewell-beingof civilians, particularly themost vulnerable, persist. Parties tothe conflictmust take all feasible precautions to protect civilians from the effect of hostilities andtakeallnecessarymeasurestorespect,protect,andmeetthebasicneedsofthecivilianpopulation.ViolationsandabusesofinternationalhumanrightsandhumanitarianlawmustbeinvestigatedbytheGovernmentofIraqeffectively,promptly,thoroughly,andimpartially.

TheGovernmentofIraqisagainstronglyurgedtoundertakelegislativeamendmentstograntIraqicourtsjurisdictionoverinternationalcrimesandtobecomeapartytotheStatuteoftheInternationalCriminal Court (ICC) or to refer the current situation in Iraq to the ICC. In addition, as soon aspracticableafterthere-takingofareasfromISILcontrol,theGovernmentofIraqshouldensurethatresponsibility for lawandorder is restored to civilian controland that thehuman rightsandbasichumanitarianneedsofciviliansinthoseareasaremet.

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IntroductionThisreportontheProtectionofCiviliansintheNon-InternationalArmedConflictinIraqispublishedby theHumanRightsOfficeofUnitedNationsAssistanceMission for Iraq (UNAMI) incooperationwith Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), under theirrespectivemandates.2

This report presents a summary of incidents received and verified by UNAMI/OHCHR involvingviolationsandabusesof internationalhumanrightsand internationalhumanitarian law,aswellasother human rights concerns, linked to the non-international armed conflict between the IraqiSecurity Forces (ISF) (and affiliated armed groups) and the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and theLevant(ISIL),andfromactsofterrorismcommittedinthatcontext.3

Thereportcoverstheperiodof1Mayto31October2015.

MethodologyTheinformationcontainedinthisreportisbased,wherepossible,ontestimoniesobtaineddirectlyfromthevictims,survivors,orwitnessesofviolationsandabusesofinternationalhumanrightslawand/or violations of international humanitarian law. UNAMI/OHCHR continued to conductinterviewswithinternallydisplacedpersons(IDPs)intheKurdistanRegionofIraq(KR-I),KirkukandDiyalaGovernorates,andotherareasofIraq,aswellaswithothervictims,survivors,andwitnessesof incidents.4 Informationwasalsoobtainedfromavarietyofsources,5 includingGovernmentandnon-governmentagenciesandorganizations,andUnitedNationsentities.Unlessspecificallystated,all information presented in this report has been cross-checked and verified using independent,credible,andreliablesources.

The security situation in Iraq has affected the capacity of UNAMI/OHCHR to undertake directmonitoring and verification of many incidents in many areas of the country. UNAMI/OHCHR hasencountereddifficultiesinverifyingincidentsthattookplaceinconflictareasandinareasunderISILcontrol. In some cases, sources were reluctant to speak to UNAMI/OHCHR due to threats,intimidation, and/or fear of reprisal.Where reports of incidents have not been cross-checked orverified,theyhavenotbeenincludedinthisreport

Asaresult,theactualnumbersofciviliancasualtiesandscaleofincidentscouldbemuchhigherthanthoserecordedbyUNAMI/OHCHR.Furthermore,examplesofviolationsandabusescontainedinthisreportareemblematicanddonotpresentacomprehensiveaccountofallabusesandviolationsthatwerereportedtoUNAMI/OHCHRandverified.

2Inresolution1770of10August2006,theUnitedNationsSecurityCouncilrequestedUNAMIto“promotetheprotectionof human rights and judicial and legal reform inorder to strengthen the ruleof law in Iraq…” (paragraph2(c)).UNAMImandate was extended in the same terms for 2015/2016 by Security Council resolution 2233 of 29 July 2015. Inaccordance with its mandate, UNAMI Human Rights Office conducts a range of activities aimed at promoting theprotectionofciviliansinarmedconflict,includingundertakingindependentandimpartialmonitoringof,andreportingon,armedviolenceand its impacton civiliansandonviolationsof internationalhumanitarian lawand internationalhumanrightslaw.3ForbackgroundonISILseeUNAMI/OHCHR,ReportontheProtectionofCiviliansintheNonInternationalArmedConflictin Iraq: 5 June – 5 July 2014 (18 August 2014) available online at<http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/IQ/UNAMI_OHCHR_POC%20Report_FINAL_18July2014A.pdf>.4Asof31October2015,UNAMIhadconducted1783interviewswithIDPsinareaswheretheyhaveconcentrated.UNAMIalsointerviewed36detaineesheldintheKurdishIntelligence(Asayish)detentionfacilityinErbiltogatherinformationonspecificcasesofhumanrightsviolations.UNAMIalsoconductstelephoneinterviewswithvictimsandwitnessesofhumanrightsviolations,civilianswhoremaintrappedinISIL-controlledareasorwhohavefledtootherareasofIraq.5TheseincludeGovernmentofficialsandinstitutions,localandinternationalmedia,localnon-governmentalorganizations,humanrightsdefenders,triballeaders,religiousleaders,politicalfigures,andcivilsocietyactors,aswellasUnitedNationsentitiesoperatinginIraq.

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BackgroundDuringtheperiodcoveredbythisreport,thegovernoratesofAnbar,Salahal-Din,NinewaandKirkukcontinuedtobethesceneofmuchofthefightingbetweenGovernmentandassociatedforcesandISIL,astheopposingsidesfoughtforcontrolofstrategicallyimportantregionsandcities.

InthefirstweekofMay,ISILlaunchedamajoroffensiveagainstIraq’slargestoilrefinery,locatedinBaiji, 200 kilometres north of Baghdad. At the same time, Government forces and ISIL continuedtheirstruggletocontrolthestrategiccityofRamadi,thecapitalofAnbar,Iraq’slargestgovernorate,only100kilometresnorthwestofBaghdad.RamadieventuallyfelltoISILinmid-MayinwhatwasasignificantblowtotheGovernmentsincethefallofMosulinJune2014.ThecaptureofRamadibyISIL caused the displacement of thousands of people, many heading east towards Baghdad. TheGovernment relied on popularMobilization Units (PMUs – al Hashid al-Sha’bi’) in an attempt toretake Ramadi. Fighting for control of Ramadi continued throughout the reporting period, withseveral incidents in which Government forces and PMU took heavy casualties. On 24 May, thestrategic border crossing with Syria, at al-Walid, Anbar Governorate, was taken by ISIL whendepletedGovernmentforceswereforcedtowithdraw.

On2June,ISILclosedthegatesofadaminRamadi,whichreducedtheleveloftheEuphratesRiverandcausedwater shortagesand increased salinitydownstreamas farasBasraGovernorate.Poorwaterqualitywastobeoneofthecomplaintsthatwouldberaisedduringmassproteststhatsweptthe country towards the end of July. Fighting continued in June in different parts of AnbarGovernorate, with Government forces and PMUs repelling two attacks by ISIL on al-HabbaniyahairbaseandthetownofHusseiba.Governmentforcesalsoreportedlylaunchedanoffensiveagainstthe ISIL positions near to Samarra, north of Baghdad, killing at least 55 fighters - according toGovernment sources.Governmentadvancesagainst ISIL in somepartsof the countryallowed thereturnofpreviouslydisplacedfamilies.On15June,around200familieshadreturnedtoTikrit,twoandahalfmonthsafterGovernmentandassociatedforcesreclaimeditfromISILcontrol.

On8July,theIraqiCentralCriminalCourtinBaghdadsentenced24ISILmemberstodeathfortheirmembershipinaterroristgroupandparticipationintheCampSpeichermassacrethatoccurrednearTikritonandafter12June2014.Fourotherdefendantswereacquittedforlackofevidence.Another604 suspects are wanted in connection with the killings. UNAMI/OHCHR has raised concernsregardingtheconductofthetrialanditscompliancewithconstitutionalandinternationalstandards.UNAMI/OHCHRhas repeatedly called on theGovernment of Iraq to ensure accountability for thekillingsandappropriatecareandsupport to thesurvivorsandtheir familiesandto the familiesofthevictims.

On 13 July, days after Government forces and PMUs repelled an ISIL attack on the town ofKhalidiyah,a large-scaleoffensiveto force ISILoutofAnbarbegan.Government forces,backedbyPMU, reportedly captured villages and areas around Fallujah, halfway between Baghdad andRamadi. In the meantime, Coalition forces continued their airstrikes against ISIL near Ramadi,reportedlyhitting67ISILtargets.On17July,ontheeveofEidal-Fitr,atleast108peoplewerekilledand167wereinjuredinKhanBaniSaad,Diyala,byanIEDforwhichISILclaimedresponsibility.Thiswas the firstmajor attack inDiyala by ISIL since the province had been liberated byGovernmentforces inNovember 2014.While the offensive in Anbar gathered pace, awave of bombings tookplaceacrossthecountryon21July,thedeadliestofwhichkilled22peopleandwounded32inthemainlyShi’adistrictofNewBaghdad,north-easternBaghdad.On26July,Governmenttroops,withsupportfromCoalitionairstrikes,enteredandeventuallycapturedAnbarUniversityinRamadiinanimportant first step towards retaking the city. According to a Government spokesperson, theuniversitywasasignificantmilitaryobjectiveas itwasusedby ISILasacentralcommandpost forstagingoperationsaroundRamadi.

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Reconstructionefforts inareas retaken from ISILwereboostedon12 July,when theGovernmentsigned an agreement with the World Bank for the provision of a $350 million loan to fundemergency reconstruction in towns recaptured from ISIL. Themoney is reportedly to be used forinfrastructureworks such as repairing roads and bridges, electricity networks,water and sewage.The precarious state of Iraq’s finances due to the conflict with ISIL has been exacerbated by thefallingpriceofoil, and theWorldBank loanwas seenasan importantmeasure toboostnationalcoffersandbolsterreconstruction.Iraqhasalsoreportedlyreceivedpledgesoffinancialsupportforreconstruction from the United States of America, Japan, the European Union and individualEuropeancountries.

Towards the end of July, Turkish fighter jets began carrying out airstrikes upon Partiya KarkerenKurdistane/KurdishWorkers’Party(PKK)targetsinsideIraq,targetingshelters,depotsandcavesinsixareas inthenorthofDohukGovernorate, insidetheKurdistanRegionof Iraq(KR-I).ThestrikeswerereportedlycondemnedbytheGovernmentof Iraqasa“dangerousescalationandanassaultonIraqisovereignty”.Sixcorpsesandeightwoundedpeoplewerereceivedon1Augustbyahospitalin the town of Soran following an air raid by Turkish fighter jets on PKK targets in the village ofZarkel,Rawanduzarea,eastofErbil.Thestrikeswerecarriedoutaspartofatwo-prongedattackuponbothPKKinKurdistanandISILinSyria.TurkeyreachedanagreementwiththeUnitedStatesof America on 25 August to integrate its operations into the anti-ISIL Coalition and and tocoordinateitsairstrikesagainstISIL.

At the end of July, precipitated by a heatwave, a movement of protests against perceivedGovernmentcorruption,incompetenceandlackofpublicservicesspreadacrossIraq,particularlyinBaghdad and the southern governorates. Demonstrations continued, although diminished,throughoutthereportingperiod.Themaincomplaintscentredonfrequentdisruptionofelectricitysupplies and the poor quality of supposedly potable water, particularly in the south of Iraq.Protestorsdirectedmuchoftheblameatwhattheysawascorruptlocaladministrations,andcalledfortheresignationofGovernorsandotherauthorities.Astheprotestsgrewlargerandmorevocalintheir condemnation of local authorities, threats and other acts of intimidation againstdemonstratorsbegantobereported.

Inresponsetotheprotests,PrimeMinisterHaideral-Abadiproposedarangeof reformsaimedatcombatting corruption, including ensuring political appointments are based onmerit rather thansectarianor party quotas, andeliminating the threepositionsofVice-President and threeDeputyPrimeMinisters. The reformpackage,whichwas backedby themost senior Iraqi Shi’a cleric, theGrandAyatollahAlial-Sistani,receivedtherequiredsupportofparliamenton11August.

On18August,FadhilAhmadal-Hayali (HajiMutazz), thesecond-in-commandof ISIL,wasallegedlykilled inaU.S.airstrikeashewas travellingnearMosul.According to Iraqianalysts,Hayaliwas incharge of military operations throughout Iraq and was a valuable strategist to ISIL, although thegroupwasbelievedtobecapableofcontinuingoperationswithoutnoticeablehindrance.

On21and23August,pro-GovernmentforcesreportedlysufferedheavylossesintwoattacksbyISILinAnbargovernorate. Inthefirst incident,around50soldiersandPMUfighterswerekilled intwoseparateambushes,whilethesecondattack,whichoccurredintheruraldistrictofJaramshah,northofRamadi,killed17soldiersandsixSunnimilitiamen.ISILcarriedoutanumberofsuicideattacksinAnbarGovernorateagainstGovernmentandassociated forces towards theendofAugustand thebeginning of September. Eight soldiers were killed in an attack upon a military outpost west ofRamadi on 24 August, while 12 soldiers and allied Sunni militiamen were reportedly killed on 1SeptemberinanassaultuponmilitarypositionsoutsidethetownofHaditha.

On 23 August, the Kirkuk Provincial Council (KPC) announced its decision that IDPs from DiyalaGovernorate, residing at the time inKirkuk, should leave theGovernoratewithinonemonth. Thedecisionwasannouncedby theactingChairofKPC, reportedlyactingon therecommendationsoftheIDPandLegalAffairsCommittees,citingtheburdensoftheIDPcommunityonKirkukresidentsin

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termsofsecurity,socialandeconomicservicesintheGovernorate,aswellastheshortageoffederalfinancialallocationsfortheGovernoratetomeetthesedemands.KPCaskedthevariousauthoritiesinDiyalatofacilitatethisprocesswithinthegiventimeframe.TheannouncementbytheProvincialCouncilwas the latestmeasureadopted topressure IDPs to return to their placesoforiginwhentheyareconsideredtohavebeenreclaimedbyGovernmentandassociatedforces.

On 2 September, 18 Turkish workers were abducted by men in military uniforms from a sportsstadium theywere constructing in north-eastern Baghdad. Two days later, a previously unknownShi’amilitia group releaseda videoof the abductedworkers anddemanded that Turkey stop thepassage of militants crossing the border into Iraq, stop the flow of oil from Kurdistan throughTurkey, and order a Sunni insurgent alliance to lift its siege of two Shi’a towns in Syria. Theabductions were reportedly condemned by the Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, who called for thereleaseofthecaptivesandaccusedthemilitiagroupofharmingtheimageofIslam.UNAMI/OHCHRconfirmedthattwooftheabducteeswereeventuallyreleasedinBasra,inthesouthofIraq,on15September,while the remaining 16were released on 30 September in Babil governorate, centralIraq. Another high-profile abduction was that of the Acting DeputyMinister of Justice, who wastakenbymaskedgunmenfromhisvehicleon8SeptemberinnorthernBaghdad.Hewaseventuallyreleasedon10October.Nogrouphasyetclaimedresponsibilityforthisabductionandthemotiveisunclear.

AttheendofSeptember,KurdishPeshmerga forcesmadeadvances interritorypreviouslyheldbyISILtothewestofKirkuk,inthenorthofIraq,retaking12villagesanddrivingISILfightersfromanareaof140squarekilometres.On12October,thePrimeMinister’sofficeannouncedthebeginningof a campaign to drive ISIL from Salah al-Din Governorate, including the Baiji oil refinery. By 16October,significantgainshadreportedlybeenmadetowardsretakingtherefinery,asGovernmentforces continued to push north. At the same time, advances were made around Ramadi, whereGovernment forces closed in from the north and thewest, hopeful to establish conditions for aneventualliberationofthecityitself.

On18October, inthecontextofthePrimeMinister’santi-corruptiondrive, itwasannouncedthatarrest warrants were issued for the Trade Minister and his brother on charges of unspecifiedcorruption.

LegalframeworkThe international legal framework applicable to the non-international armed conflict in Iraqcomprisesinternationalhumanitarianlawandinternationalhumanrightslaw.6

Internationallawrequiresthatallpartiestotheconflict(includingStateactorsandnon-statearmedgroups)respecttheapplicableprinciplesofdistinctionandproportionalitywhenconductingarmedoperations, take all feasible precautions to avoid, and in any event to minimize, the impact ofviolenceoncivilians,andtakestepstoensurethesafetyandprotectionofciviliansbyenablingthemto leave areas affected by violence in safety and dignity, and to facilitate their access to basichumanitarian assistance at all times. Parties to the conflict must also take steps to ensure theprotection and care of the most vulnerable among the civilian population, and are required topreventviolationsandabuses.

6 Iraq is a party, inter alia, to the: International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the InternationalCovenantonEconomic,SocialandCulturalRights; the InternationalConventionontheEliminationofAllFormsofRacialDiscrimination;theConventionagainstTortureandOtherCruel, InhumanorDegradingTreatmentorPunishment;the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms ofDiscriminationAgainstWomen; the Convention on theRightsof theChild, including itsOptionalProtocolson the involvementofchildren inarmedconflict,andon thesaleofchildren, child prostitution and child pornography; the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and theInternationalConventionfortheProtectionofAllPersonsfromEnforcedDisappearance;theFourGenevaConventionsandAdditionalProtocolItotheGenevaConventions.

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The Government of Iraq is required to hold to account alleged perpetrators of human rightsviolationsorabuses thatamount tocrimesandofseriousviolationsof internationalhumanitarianlaw,inparticularthosethatconstitutecrimesunderinternationallaw,includingwarcrimes,crimesagainst humanity, and genocide, irrespective of who the perpetrators may be. The Governmentmustalsoensurethatallarmedgroupsengaged inhostilities insupportof its forces7complywithrelevant international and national laws in the conduct of their operations against ISIL, includingdoingtheirutmosttoensuretheprotectionofciviliansfromtheeffectsofviolenceandtheiraccesstohumanitarianassistance.8

ImpactoftheconflictonciviliansCiviliancasualtiesFrom1January2014throughtotheendofOctober2015,UNAMI/OHCHRrecordedatleast55,047civiliancasualtiesasaresultofthenon-internationalarmedconflictinIraq:18,802killedand36,245wounded.9

Duringtheperiodcoveredbythisreport,1Mayto31October2015,aminimumof10,911civiliancasualties resulted from the ongoing violence, including at least 3,855 persons killed and 7,056wounded.

Baghdadwas the most affected governorate, with a minimum of 6,168 civilian casualties (1,875killed and 4,293 wounded). Anbar followed with 1,873 civilian casualties (452 killed and 1,421wounded), whileDiyala recorded the third highest number of civilian casualties with 1,576 (658killedand918wounded).

Improvised explosive devices (IEDs), including body-borne (BBIED), vehicle-borne (VBIED), andsuicidevehicle-borne(SVBIED)devices,werethedeadliesttacticusedagainstcivilians,resultinginatleast7,086civiliancasualties(1,717killedand5,369wounded)duringthereportingperiod.10

As noted, the actual number of civilian casualties could be much higher than those recorded.Additionally,thenumberofcivilianswhohavediedfromthesecondaryeffectsofviolence,suchaslackofaccesstobasicfood,waterormedicalcareisunknown.Children,pregnantwomen,personswithdisabilities,andelderlypeopleremainedparticularlyvulnerable.

7Namely,theal-Hashidal-Sha'bi,knowninEnglishasthePopularMobilizationUnits.FollowingtheseizureofterritoriesbyISILfrom5June2014andthecollapseofISFinthoseareas,GrandAyatollahAlial-SistanicalledonIraqistodefendIraqfromISIL.Al-Sistani’sstatementwasdeliveredinKarbalabyhisrepresentative,Abdual-Mahdial-Karbali,duringaFridaysermon, on 13 June 2014. It provided that “the threats posed obligate the volunteering of those who are capable ofcarryingarmstodefendthehomelandanditisadutyon[them].”Al-KarbalialsoexpressedsupportforISF,statingthatitwasthedutyofallIraqicitizens,notjustShi’a,tojointhearmedforcestoprotectthecountry.AyatollahBashiral-Najafi,anothermemberof Iraq’s clerical establishment, also issueda statement callingon Iraqis to join ISF.On30 September2014,theCabinetpassedaresolutioncallingonPrimeMinisteral-Abaditoensuretheprovisionoftheal-Hashidal-Sha’bi’with weapons, logistics, training, and salaries. On 28 October, the Council ofMinisters approved a decree regularizingPMUstofightagainstISIL.8ForanoverviewofinternationallawbindingonIraqandotherpartiestothearmedconflict,see‘LegalframeworkontheProtection of Civilians in Non-International Armed Conflict’ section, Report on the Protection of Civilians in the ArmedConflict in Iraq: 5 June to 5 July 2014 (UNAMI/OHCHR July 2014), available online<http://uniraq.org/index.php?option+com_k2&view=item&task=download&id=499_d31007c69700e48cf0446cfaf85c3e48&itemid=6088&lang=en>.9Monthly civilian casualty figures in this report consist of civilians, including civilian police officers, and include civiliancasualtiesfromAnbarGovernorate.UNAMIhoweverwasunabletoobtaincasualtyfiguresforAnbarGovernorateforthemonthofOctober2015. Ingeneral,UNAMIhasbeenhinderedineffectivelyverifyingcasualties inconflictareas.FiguresforcasualtiesfromAnbarGovernorateareprovidedbytheAnbarHealthDirectorateandmightnotfullyreflecttheactualnumberofcasualtiesinthoseareasduetotheincreasedvolatilityofthesituationthereandthedisruptionofservices.Insomecases,UNAMIcouldonlypartiallyverifycertainincidents.10Theremainingciviliancasualtieswereattributedtoairstrikes,shelling,smallarmsfire,burning,beheading,knifeattacks,unexplodedordnance,andothermeans.

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Conflict-relateddisplacementofciviliansThe ongoing hostilities in Iraq continue to causemassive displacement of civilians. From January2014through29September2015,atotalof3,206,736personshadbecomeinternallydisplacedinIraq,11includingoveronemilliondisplacedschoolagegirlsandboys.12Themajority(87percent)ofIDPs are reported to be originally from three governorates: Anbar, 42 per cent (1,334,592individuals);Ninewa,32percent(1,011,606);andSalahal-Din,13percent(407,142).13

The governorates with the highest number of IDPs are Anbar and Baghdad, with 583,050 and577,584 displaced, respectively. Other governorates with a significant number of displaced areDohuk(426,966),Kirkuk(401,280),Erbil(284,310),Ninewa(203,652)andSulaymaniyah(161,724).Thesefiguresincludepeopledisplacedwithintheirowngovernoratesaswellastootherareasofthecountry.14CentralNorthIraqhosts68percentoftheIDPs(2,162,772individuals),theKR-Ihosts27per cent of the IDPs (873,000 individuals) and South Iraq hosts 5 per cent of the IDPs (179,964individuals).15

IDPshavelargelysettledinprivatesettings,suchaswithhostfamilies,rentalhousingandotherpaidaccommodation, representing 69 per cent of those displaced.However, 20 per cent of IDPs havebeen forced to resort to critical shelter arrangements, including unfinished and abandonedbuildings,religiousbuildings,schoolbuildings,andinformalsettlements.Only8percentofIDPsareresidingincamps.16

Between 24 August and 8 September, 11,640 people (1,940 families) were displaced from theirvillagessurroundingDaquqandHawijadistricts,Kirkuk,followingKurdishPeshmergaadvancesandthereclaimingofvillagesunderthecontrolof ISIL.MostofthedisplacedfledtoKirkukCitywheretheyarestayingwithrelatives.17

On 11 September, about 1,500 people were stranded at the Daquq checkpoint after militaryoperationsinDaquqdistrictinKirkuk.ThedisplacedpeoplewerereportedlyallowedtoenterDaquqcentre and Kirkuk only after security screenings.Most families settledwith relatives or in rentedhomesorunfinishedbuildingsinDaquqcenter,whilesomecontinuedtoKirkukcity.18

ManyIDPs,particularlyinKirkuk,haveexperiencedbeingroundedupinpoliceraidsandarbitrarilyarrestedbysecurityforcesonsuspicionofterrorismorothergroundssuchastrespassingonpublicgroundsorfailuretopresentproperidentification.Mostarereleasedsoonafterwithoutcharge.

AsGovernmentandaffiliatedforceshavere-takenareasoccupiedbyISIL,someofthosedisplacedhavebeenabletoreturntotheirareasoforigin.Asof29September2015,atotalof56,587families(or402,660individuals)werereportedtohavereturnedtotheirlocationoforigin.Approximately54percentofreturneeshadreturnedtoSalahal-Dinand39percenttoTikritdistrictalone,specificallytoMerkaz,Tikrit.TherestofthereturneesreturnedtoDiyalaandNinewa(mainlyinthenortherndistrictsofTalAfarandTelKaif).Thosewhoreturnedhavelargelysettledbacktotheir locationof

11InternationalOrganizationforMigration(IOM),DisplacementTrackingMatrix,RoundXXX–October2015,p.1.12Office for theCoordinationofHumanitarianAffairs (OCHA), Iraq:HumanitarianCrisis, SituationReportNo. 62 (16-29September2015),p.5.13 United Nations Iraq, “Displacement in Iraq Exceeds 3.2 Million: IOM,” Baghdad, 16 October 2015<http://www.uniraq.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=4391:displacement-in-iraq-exceeds-3-2-million-iom&Itemid=605&lang=en>lastaccessed17October2015.14InternationalOrganizationforMigration(IOM),DisplacementTrackingMatrix,RoundXXX–October2015,p.2.15 The Central North includes the Anbar, Babylon, Baghdad, Diyala, Kerbala, Kirkuk, Ninewa, Salah al-Din and WassitGovernorates;theKurdistanRegionofIraq(KRI)includestheDahuk,SulaymaniyahandErbilGovernorates;andSouthIraqincludestheBasrah,Missan,Najaf,Thi-Qar,QadissiyaandMuthanaGovernorates.16InternationalOrganizationforMigration(IOM),DisplacementTrackingMatrix,RoundXXX–October2015,p.8.17 Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Iraq: Humanitarian Crisis, Situation Report No. 60 (2-8September2015)p.1.18Office for theCoordinationofHumanitarianAffairs (OCHA), Iraq:HumanitarianCrisis, SituationReportNo. 62 (16-29September2015)pp.1-2.

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usual residence (87 per cent), although 13 per cent have returned to abandoned or unfinishedbuildingsbecauseofdamagetoordestructionoftheirhomes.19

Those returning have encountered continuing insecurity, large-scale destruction of civilianinfrastructure,severely impacteddeliveryofbasicservices,booby-trapsandexplosiveremnantsofwar.For instance,on19September,about960peoplereturnedfromKhanaqintoSaadiyadistrict,DiyalaGovernorate,tofindthatmanyofthehouseshadbeendestroyed.Initiallyarmedmilitiawerepreventingresidentsfromreturningtothedistrict,buttheywereeventuallypermittedbackafterasecurityscreening.20

TheMinistryofDisplacementandMigration(MoDM)reportedthat720peoplehadreturnedtoal-KharmainAnbarduringtheweekof22-29September,bringingthenumberofreturneesto3,176intwosub-districts:1,976inal-Khayratand1,200inal-Jazeera.Accesstotheareawasrestrictedduetounsaferoadsleadingtoal-Kharma.MostofthereturneeswerepreviouslydisplacedinBaghdad.21

AccesstobasicservicesandhumanitarianassistanceThearmedconflictandotherformsofviolence,aswellasthescaleofdisplacement,continuedtoimpairIDPs’accesstobasicservicesincludinghousing,healthcare,cleanwaterandeducation.

EvictionorriskofevictionforIDPshasbeenreportedinsomegovernorates.Forexample,inthefirstweek of 2-8 September, 540 IDPs (90 families) living in the Sheikh Abdul Qadir al-Kilani school,Baghdad, were threatened with eviction by local authorities. Similarly, in Kirkuk, 150 IDPs (25families)attheShoqaqSadamcomplexwerethreatenedwitheviction.22

Also,on9-15September,IDPsinAnbar,BabilandBaghdadfacedevictionorrisksofeviction.Thoseaffected were staying in public buildings, particularly school buildings, but also apartments orhouses, which were allocated to Government employees, or could no longer pay a rent. Only alimited number of IDPs were provided alternative accommodation such as in camps.23 On 16-29September,about1,440displacedpeoplefromTalAfarandtheNinewaplainswerethreatenedwithevictionfromtheQasSuailimapartmentcomplexinBabil.Atthetimeofwriting,nocleardeadlinetoevacuatetheapartmentshadbeengiventotheIDPsresidingthere.24

Displaced people have also faced difficulties accessing clean water in some governorates. Forexample, between 9-15 September, water and sanitation infrastructure in two camps in Zakhodistrict, Dahuk (housing around 20,400 displaced people) failed due to lack of adequatemaintenance and repair. Shortages of water directly affected 3,206 displaced people when thewaternetworkfailed.25

On15October,itwasreportedthat56,546familieshadreturnedtoreclaimedareasofSalahal-DinsinceJanuary2015.26TheyreturnedtotheirplacesoforigininDhuluiyadistrictandTikritdistrict(al-Alam sub-district, al-Ishaqi sub-district, al-Botoamah sub-district, al-Hegag sub-district, al-Mazraahvillage,andtoTikritCity).However,publicservicesinmanyoftheseareaswereeithernotavailableor inadequate.Most of the Government properties in these areas had either been destroyed or

19InternationalOrganizationforMigration(IOM),DisplacementTrackingMatrix,RoundXXX–October2015,pp.10-12.20Office for theCoordinationofHumanitarianAffairs (OCHA), Iraq:HumanitarianCrisis, SituationReportNo. 62 (16-29September2015)p.2.21Ibid.22 Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Iraq: Humanitarian Crisis, Situation Report No. 60 (2-8September2015)p.3.23 Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Iraq: Humanitarian Crisis, Situation Report No. 61 (9-15September2015)p.2.24Office for theCoordinationofHumanitarianAffairs (OCHA), Iraq:HumanitarianCrisis, SituationReportNo. 62 (16-29September2015)p.2.25 Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Iraq: Humanitarian Crisis, Situation Report No. 61 (9-15September2015)p.20.26InternationalRescueCommittee,ReturnofInternallyDisplacedPersonstoSalahal-Din,Update:15October2015,p.1.

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looted. The restoration ofwater and electricity services has proved to be a significant challenge,exacerbatedbythesecuritysituationandlackofresources.27

Furthermore, ithasbeen reported thatoveronemillion school-agedgirls andboysaredisplaced.About70percentofthemhavelostalmostonefullyearofeducation,andonlyabout30percentofthem had access to any form of education at the end of the school year.Where available,mostschoolswereovercrowdedandcouldnotaccommodatealldisplacedstudents.28

ViolationsandabusescommittedbyISILISILcontinues tocommitsystematicandwidespreadviolationsandabusesof internationalhumanrightslawandinternationalhumanitarianlaw.Insomeinstances,thesemayamounttowarcrimesandcrimesagainsthumanity.

KillingsandabductionsISILcontinuedtocarryoutarangeofkillingsinareasunderitscontrolandinthoseareasaffectedbyconflict. Targets included persons perceived to be opposed to ISIL ideology or control, capturedmembers of ISF, former members of ISF, members of the police, former public officials andcandidates for public office, officials of the Government of Iraq or members of parliament orgovernorate councils, religious and tribal leaders, andprofessionals, including journalists, lawyers,doctorsandothercivilians.

ISILcontinuedtoperpetrateabductions,targetingpersonsperceivedtobeopposedtotheirideologyandcontrol,membersand formermembersof ISF,and traditional tribal, religiousandcommunityleaders.Thefateofmanyofthoseabductedremainsunknown.

Killingsofcivilians,includingcommunityandreligiousleadersOnanumberofoccasions, ISILexecuted formercandidates forpublicoffice in theareasunder itscontrol.On11 July, a former candidate for theNinewa Provincial Council elections fromQayyarasub-districtwaskilledbyISILintheal-GhizlanimilitarybaseinMosul,Ninewa.ThevictimwasshotintheheadafterhisabductionfromhishomeinQayyarabyISIL,on20June2014.Similarly,on12July,ISILkilledaformercandidatefortheNinewaProvincialCouncilelectionsbyshootinghimintheheadintheal-IzaamilitarybaseinQayarrasub-district,Mosuldistrict.ThevictimhadbeenabductedbyISILinMarch2015.

On 18 August, ISIL killed three former candidates for the parliamentary elections from theMutahidounAllianceinMosul,Ninewa.Thewomen,whowereabductedfromtheirhomesinMosulon 12 August, were shot in the head in the al-Ghizlani military base.Around 14 September, a former candidate for the Coalition List was shot and killed by ISIL. ThevictimhadbeenabductedfromherhomeinMosulcityapproximatelytwomonthsearlierandhadbeenheld in anunknown location.Onor around11 June, three formerparliamentary candidateswere abducted from their homes. On 21 June, theywere executed by firing squad at the al-IzzamilitarybaseinQayyaradistrict,southofMosul,followingadecisionofanISILself-appointedcourt.

Employeesandformeremployeesofthe IndependentHighElectoralCommission(IHEC)continuedto be targeted by ISIL for abduction and murder. UNAMI/OHCHR confirmed reports that on theevening of 24 July, ISIL abducted 53 employees of IHEC in Mosul, Ninewa, taking them to anunknown location. On themorning of 25 July, 28 of those abducted, including 11 women, wereexecutedinal-Ghizlanimilitarybase,southofMosul.Accordingtoonesource,anISILself-appointedcourthadordered theabductionof all formeremployeesof IHEC,howeverUNAMI/OHCHR couldnotverifythisinformation.

27InternationalRescueCommittee,ReturnofInternallyDisplacedPersonstoSalahal-Din,Update:15October2015,p.4.28 Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Iraq: Humanitarian Crisis, Situation Report No. 61 (9-15September2015)p.4.

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On8August,ISILreportedlyexecutedatleast300civilservantsemployedbyIHECinMosul,Ninewa.Sources claimed to UNAMI/OHCHR that the victims were executed by firing squad at al-GhizlanimilitarybaseinMosul.Fiftyofthevictimswereallegedtohavebeenwomen.AstatementissuedbyIHECon8AugustclaimedthatISILhadexecutedanunconfirmednumberofitscurrentandformeremployees.On21August,12formerIHECemployees, includingfourwomenandaseniormemberof the electoral station inMosul,were executedby ISIL, having been abducted from their homesthreeweeksearlier. ISILnotifiedrelativesdirectlyof theexecutions.However,UNAMI/OHCHRhasnotbeenabletoverifytheexactlocationsofthekillings.

Othervictimsweremurderedafterbeingaccusedby ISILofproviding information toGovernmentandassociatedforces.For instance,on23June, ISILpostedavideoshowingthekillingof16men.Thevideo,ofsevenminutesduration,showedthekillingofthemeninthreebatches–byarocket-propelledgrenade firedatacar inwhichsomemenwereplaced,byplacingothers inacage thatwas submerged into water, and by decapitating the remainder with explosives. The men wereallegedlyaccusedofcooperatingwith ISF.Themen,dressed inred jumpsuits,areshownallegedlyconfessinginpartsofthevideo.

On the evening of 3 July, ISIL killed the former local Mayor (Mukhtar) of Ain Marmiya village,Makhmourdistrict,south-eastofMosul,Ninewa.Thevictim,whowasshot inthehead,hadbeenabductedbyISILfromhishouseon21June,accusedofcooperatingwiththePeshmergaandISF.

On10July,afterJum’a(afternoon)prayers,ninepeoplewerekilledbyISILintheBabal Tobareaof centralMosul,Ninewa. The victimswere forced to liedownon thestreetandabulldozerwasdrivenoverthem.Thevictimsreportedlyincludedatleastone former ISF officer. The killings occurred in front of a large crowd and wereintended as a warning to the population. Before the execution took place, astatement condemning the victimswasbroadcast by al Bayan radio station,whichprovided a range of reasons for the killings, including providing information to ISFandPeshmergaandcollaboratingwiththePMUs.

On 4 September, ISIL executed four civilians by shooting them in the head in a publicmarket inShirqatdistrict,Salahal-DinGovernorate.TwoofthevictimswereaccusedofcooperatingwithISFwhile the other two were accused of helping people to flee from Shirqat. On 9 September, ISILabducted42menfromal-JabouritribeinQayarradistrictandtookthemtoShirqatdistrict,Salahal-DinGovernorate.Sixteenofthesemenwere laterexecuted. ISILaccusedthemofhavingprovidedinformationtoISFandforbeingrelatedtoal-Hashidal-Sha’bifighterswhoarecombatingISILintheGwerfrontlineinMakhmour.

ISILmurderedothervictimsforattemptingtofleeareasunder itscontrolorforassistingotherstoflee. In July and August, ISILmurdered civilians on charges of attempting to flee areas in Hawija,south west of Kirkuk. Bodies were frequently hung publicly from electricity poles in order todiscourage others considering fleeing toward southern Salah al-Din and Kirkuk city. One sourceconfirmed that following such murders, ISIL usually sends letters to the families of the victimsconfirmingthekillings.Inothercases,ISILhangedthebodiesonelectricitypolesnearthevillagesortownsentrances.On24July,ISILkilledfourmenfromBaghdadintheBabal-TobmarketinMosul,Ninewa,byshootingthemintheheadinfrontofacrowd.ThevictimsweredriversaccusedbyISILself-appointed courtsof smuggling residentsofMosul intoBaghdad.On5October, in the Shirqatdistrict,Salahal-Din, ISILmurdered threecivilians, includinga15year-oldchild, forattempting tofleeISIL-controlledareastoKR-I.Thetwomenwerereportedlybeheaded,whilethechildwasshotdead.On30September,afamilyfleeingfightingbetweenISILandPeshmergaforcesintheKubaibaareawestofKirkuk,wasfireduponbyISILfighters.Threewomenandonemanwerekilledinthatincident.

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ISILalsomurderedspecificindividualsforbreachingtheirrulesoronsuspicionoffailingtosupportthem.On13September, ISILexecutedthree Imams forfailingtopraiseISIL intheirsermons.Theywere shot in the head in the al-Izza military base in Hammam Ali sub-district of Mosul. On 25September, two female lawyerswere executedby ISIL in the al-Izzamilitary base inQayarra sub-district,Mosuldistrict. Thevictimswere reportedly shot for violating the regulationsof Shari’abypracticinglawinthecriminalcourt.

KillingsofformerISFmembers,Police,andthoseassociatedwiththem

ISIL continues to targetpersonsassociatedwith theGovernmentof Iraq. Formermembersof ISF,police officers and individuals suspected of supporting or aiding Government forces have beenvictimsof suchattacks. Inmanycases,UNAMI/OHCHRbelieves that the individuals targetedwereciviliansnotdirectlyparticipatinginhostilities.

On15May,ISILmurderedtwopolicesofficers(acaptainandamajor)byshootingthemintheheadinBadoushprison,Mosul,Ninewa.BothvictimshadbeenabductedbyISILon10June2014.On10June,sixformerISFmemberswerekilledbyISIL,inBadoushdistrict,westofMosul,byfiringsquad.Thevictimswere reportedly sentencedbyan ISIL self-appointed court andhadbeenabductedbyISIL in early July 2014. On 25 June, ISIL murdered seven former police officers who had beenabductedfromtheirhomesinHamamal-Aleeldistrict,southofMosul,inApril2014.Themenwereshotintheheadintheal-Ghizlanimilitarybase,inMosul.

On27 June, ISILmurdered11 formerpoliceofficers (al-Jubour tribemembers) fromSafal-Tothvillage inHamamal-Aleeldistrict,southofMosul,Ninewa.Themen,whowereshotinthehead,werekilledfivekilometersawayfromtheirvillagefollowingthedecisionofan ISILself-appointedcourt. ISILhadabductedthemen inMay2015.Thefamilies received written notification of the killings along with a list of the men’snames.

On3August,ISILreportedlymurderedeightformerISFmembersinHawijadistrict,Kirkuk.Themen,whowereshotinthehead,werepubliclyexecutedforprovidingsupporttoISFandPMUs.ISILhungthebodies frompower linesanddisplayedthematcheckpoints.On26August, inMosul,Ninewa,ISILkilledaretiredmemberof ISFandoftheNinewaProvincialCouncilbyshootinghimthehead.Thevictimhadbeenabductedon12Julybutthereasonforthekillingisnotknown.

On2September,ISILburntfourmentodeathinHamamAlisub-district,Mosuldistrict.Thevictimswere members of al-Jabouri tribe and were accused by ISIL of spying for ISF and InternationalCoalition forces by providing them with targets for airstrikes. On 13 October, ISIL murdered 21civilians,includingeightformerIraqiArmyofficers,intheal-IzzamilitarybaseinsouthernMosul,forallegedly cooperating with, and providing information to ISF and PMUs. The victims, who wereabductedfromtheirhomesinvariouspartsofMosulduringthecourseoftheyear,wereshotintheheadandchest.

ISILalsokilledrelativesofmembersofISFandassociatedforces,suchasinthecaseoftheabductionandmurderon4Octoberof70membersofAlbuNimrtribefromal-Tharthararea,northofRamadi,AnbarGovernorate.According tooneof the tribal leaders,allof thosekilledwerecivilianswhosefathersandbrothershadjoinedISFandSahwa29groupstofightISIL.

29SahwaisArabicfor“awakening”.ThismovementwasacoalitionbetweenpredominantlySunnitribes,initiallyfundedbytheUnitedStatesGovernmentasanadhocsecurityforceatthecommunitylevel.Ithaslargelybeendissolved,asformerIraqiGovernmentshaverefusedtointegratemanyofthemthemovement’smembersintosecurityforces.

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Killings and torture and cruel and inhuman treatment following condemnation byillegal/irregular/unlawfulcourts

ISIL carried out numerous murders following sentences imposed by ISIL self-appointed courtsestablished inMosul,Ninewa. As these courts are not authorizedby Iraqi law to exercise judicialauthorityandfailtorespectanysemblanceofbasicprinciplesofdueprocess,anysentenceimposedbythemis irreconcilablewithinternational law.Journalistswerefrequentlytargetedbytheseself-appointedcourtsasISILperceivesthemtobespiesorinleaguewiththeGovernmentorassociatedforces.

On17May,ISILmurderedajournalistwhoworkedfortheNinewaAlqadtelevisionchannel.On17April,ISILhadbrokenintothevictim’shouseinQadisiyaharea,northeastofMosul,Ninewa,searchinghisphone,computeranddocuments.Hewasthenbeatenandtakenaway,blindfoldedandhandcuffed,andlaterpresentedbeforeoneofISILself-appointedcourtswhichcondemnedhimforespionageand‘treason’.

On1July, ISILbeheadedthreemenneartheBahhaAlddinMosqueinHayal-Najar,easternMosul.ISILaccusedthemenofblasphemy,withthepublickillingscarriedoutfollowingadecisionbyISIL’sself-appointedcourt.On5July,ISILpostedaseriesofimagesoftheexecutionsonsocialmedia.Theimagesshowthreemenbound,blindfolded,andkneelinginastreet;anISILmemberreadingouttheself-appointedcourtdecision; thebeheadingofoneman;andaswordraisedabovetheheadofasecondman.Therearealsoimagesoftheassembledcrowdwatchingthekillings.

On the evening of 5 July, ISILmurdered a 28 year-old female journalist in al-Dakki area,westernMosul,Ninewa.Shehadbeenabductedfromherhomeinal-Akha’area,easternMosul,on30June.The victim was shot in the head and chest following a decision of an ISIL self-appointed court,purportedlyforcooperationwithISF.On10August,ISILmurderedthreejournalists,allbrothers,inal-IzzamilitarybaseinHamamal-Aleel,southernMosul,Ninewa.ThevictimswereshotintheheadfollowingthedecisionofanISILself-appointedcourt,whichaccusedthemofprovidinginformationto local and international media on ISIL movements, bases, and on daily life in Mosul. AnotherjournalistwhoworkedforSamaMosulsatelliteTVchannelwasmurderedby ISILon4October, inMosul,Ninewa,followingadecisionofanISILself-appointedcourt.

Imamswhodidnotconformto ISILdoctrineor ideology,orwhowereperceivedascriticalof ISIL,were also targetedby ISIL self-appointed courts.On12 July, ISIL abducted four Imams from theirhomesinQayyarasub-district,Mosul,Ninewa.Onthemorningof13July,theywereaccusedbyanISIL self-appointed court of conducting taraweeh prayers (special evening prayers held duringRamadan),whichISILhadforbidden.Twodayslater,theImamswereshotintheheadintheal-Izzamilitarybase,Qayyara.

On 20 July 2015, at around 08:00, inMusherfa village, westernMosul, ISIL publiclykilled the Imam of HamidMosque inMosul,Ninewa, by shooting him in the head,following a decision by an ISIL self-appointed court. The victim had been abductedfromhishomebyISILon17July2015forallegedlycriticizingthegroup.

ThoseaccusedofcollaboratingwithGovernmentandassociatedforceswerealsomurderedingrimpublicspectaclesattheorderofISILself-appointedcourts.On4August,ISILbeheadedaformerISFofficerandhistwosonsinfrontofacrowdintheWadial-HajerareaofMosul,Ninewa.Themurdersfollowedthedecisionofan ISILself-appointedcourt,whichaccusedthemenofcollaboratingwithISF. On themorning of 12 September, ISIL abducted and executed a former Director of RasheedRadio inMosul,Ninewa, accusinghimofproviding information to ISF. The victimwas shot in the

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headattheal-GhizlanimilitarybaseinMosul,followingthedecisionofanISILself-appointedcourt.On 8 October, ISIL murdered a former Director of al-Ba’aj Police Directorate, accusing him ofcooperatingwith ISF.Thevictimwas shot in thehead in theal-Ghizlanimilitarybase, in southernMosul,followingthedecisionofanISILself-appointedcourt.

ISILalso imposedcrueland inhumanpunishments, includingonminors, inareasunder itscontrol.Suchacaseoccurredon2September,whenISILcutoffthehandofaboyagedaround13yearsintheBabal-Tobmarket,centreofMosul,reportedlyafteraccusinghimoftheft.

KillingsofcapturedGovernmentISFandassociatedforcespersonnelCapturedpersonnelfromGovernmentandassociatedforceswerefrequentlykilledbyISIL,eitherinpublicexecutionsorinprisonsinsidemilitarybases.Forexample,on20May,ISILhangedasoldierfrom a bridge in Fallujah, Anbar (Jisr al-Muadhafeen or Employees’ Bridge). The soldier hadreportedlybeencapturedearlierintheGarmaarea,northofFallujah,afterallegedlybeingwoundedandrunningoutofammunition.Picturespostedonlineshowedthesoldierbeingparadedinatruckandhisbodyhangingfromabridge.ThemurderwascondemnedbytheMinistryofHumanRights.30

On3June,ISILmurderedacapturedsoldierinthecontextofameetinginwhichseveralsheikhsandtribal leaderspledgedallegianceto ISIL inFallujah,AnbarGovernorate.Avideoemergedonlineofthesupposedmeeting,showingthesoldierbeingforcedbyanISILmembertokneelinfrontofthesheikhsandtriballeaders.Thevideoendswiththebodyofthesoldierlyingontheground,withhisheadinapoolofblood,andtwohoodedISILfighterscloseby.AccordingtoastatementissuedlaterbytheGeneralNationalCongressoftheFailiKurds,thesoldiermurderedbyISILwasamemberofthatcommunity.

Onoraround10June,ISILkilledfivecapturedISFmembersinBadoushprison,Mosul,Ninewa.ItisreportedthatthevictimswereinchargeofthesecurityoftheprisonpriortoitscapturebyISILon9June2014.On13June,ISILkilled27capturedISFmembersinBadoushprisonforunknownreasons,andon21 June, ISILmurderedan IraqiArmyofficer andhis son, also a soldier, in theBabal-Tobmarket, in thecentreof theMosulcity,Ninewa.Thekillingswerecarriedoutby firingsquad, themenhavingbeenabductedfromtheirhomeinJuly2014.On18June,ISILexecutedthreecapturedIraqiArmyofficersinacentralareaofHeet,AnbarGovernorate.

Otherkillings

ISILhasalsokilledmembersof itsowngroupforrefusingtofightoractingagainst its interests,aswellascapturedcombatantsfromGovernmentandassociatedforces.Themurderswerefrequentlyconducted in public spaces, and the bodies of captured Government forces personnel weresometimesdisplayedafterwards.Onoccasion,ISILdisplayedthebodiesofitsownmemberswhoithad murdered, as a deterrent to other ISIL members who might consider disobeying orders orotherwiseactingagainstitsinterests.

UNAMI/OHCHRreceivedanumberofreportsof ISILkilling itsownmembers,eitherfordisobeyingorders,suspicionofpassinginformationtoISF,orotherwiseconspiringagainstISIL.On29June,ISILmurderedamemberof itsal-Hisba (morality ‘police’)31by firingsquad,atamarketplace inMosulcity,Ninewa,followingthedecisionofanISILself-appointedcourt.Onthesameday,ISILreportedlymurdered a member of its Walayat Mosul Shura committee, at al-Ghizlani military base, Mosul,having accused him of conspiring against the group. On 28 June, ISIL murdered 32 of its ownmembersinRamadiandFallujahforallegedlypassingintelligencetoISF.

3030http://www.humanrights.gov.iq/ArticleShow.aspx?ID=4584,28May2015(accessed7June2015);representativesofthe Iraqi Ministry of Defence visited the family of the deceased(http://www.mod.mil.iq/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=779,28May2015,accessed7June2015).31Theal-HisbaisagroupofspecialpolicethatensuresadherencetoISILrules.

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On 8 August, ISIL executed six of itsmembers for fleeing a battlewith ISF and PMUs in Ramadi,Anbar.Subsequently,on1October,ISILexecutedanunknownnumberofitsownfightersinHawijadistrict,southwestofKirkuk,afterdetainingthemasapunishmentforretreatingfromabattlewithPeshmerga,on30September.

Onoraround9September, ISILexecuted34membersof theNaqshbandigroup inHawijadistrict,Kirkuk. The group, also knownas JaishRejal al-Tariqa al-Naqshbandi, orArmyof theMenof theNaqshbandiOrder,isaformerinsurgencygroupthatwasinitiallybelievedtohavebeenalliedwithISILbutmore recentlyhasbeen reported tohavebeen involved inarmedclasheswith them.ThevictimswereaccusedbyISILof“apostasyandbetrayal”.

On16September ISILkilledsevenwomenfromitsal-KhansaaBattalionfordisobeyingorders.ThevictimswereshotandtheirbodieswereleftattheentranceoftheBattalion’sheadquartersinJamiaStreet,centralMosul,asanexampleofwhathappenstothosewhodisobeyitsorders.

Abductions

ISILcontinuedtocarryoutalargenumberofabductions,includingofchildren,intheareasunderitscontrol.Thereasonsformanyoftheabductionsareoftenunknown,althoughinformationsuggeststhe victimswere targeteddue toperceptions that theywereopposed to ISIL ideologyor control,thattheywere‘strategically’targetedinordertobeusedasleverageagainstthirdpartiesor,inthecaseof children, tobe trainedas combatants.Multiple reports of abductionswere received fromNinewaandKirkuk.

Examples of abductions of those perceived by ISIL to be conspiring against it or supportingGovernment and associated forces include nine members of the al-Jabour tribe, including foursheikhs, whom ISIL abducted on 10 June in Sahil al-Malih village, Ayathiya sub-district, NinewaGovernorate.ItwasreportedthattheyhadbeenaccusedofbeingaffiliatedwithforcesmobilizingtoliberateMosul. Thewhereabouts and conditionof the victims areunknown.On1 and2 July, ISILabducted54civiliansinShirqatdistrict,Salahal-DinGovernorate,reportedlyinretaliationforanti-ISILgraffiti and slogans in supportofPMUsappearingonwalls in thearea (one slogan reportedlyread:“Hashdal-Sha’biarecoming”).Thefateandwhereaboutsofthoseabductedremainunknown.

ISIL allegedly carried out some abductions in order to pressure third parties. On 10October, ISILabductedaround100peopleinHaiSoumarneighbourhoodofMosul,Ninewa,reportedlyincludingrelatives of the newly elected Ninewa Governor, as well as former Government security officers.Thirty abductees were released on the same day, while the others were reportedly taken to anunknown location. On 10 and 13 October, ISIL abducted 60 former ISF members who were alsorelated to the new Ninewa Governor. ISIL has demanded that Albo Hamad tribal leaders (SunniArabs)inHatrapledgeallegiancetoISILinordertosecurethegroup’srelease.

Between2and7September,ISILabductedaround50civiliansfromdifferentareasinHawijadistrict,Kirkuk,including,fourciviliansinal-Zabareaandtwoothersinal-Abbasiarea,on7September.Thereasons for theabductionsare reportedly varied: suspicions that somewereplanning to flee ISIL-controlled areas; suspicions of cooperation with ISF and PMUs; and refusal to volunteer to fightalongsideISIL.Thefateandwhereaboutsoftheabducteesareunknown.

On14and15September,ISILabducteddozensofciviliansinISIL-occupiedHawija,Kirkuk.MilitantsfromISILraidedseveralvillagesonthewayfromMinizlavillageontheKirkuk-Hawijaroad,toHawijacentre,includingHawijatownitself.Duringtheraids,ISILabducteddozensofcivilians,mainlymalesaged20to40.Theindividualswereabductedonchargesofallegedcollusionandconspiracywithso-calledenemyforces,andplanningtoformanarmedgroup.OnesourceindicatedthattheincidentoccurredfollowingISILexecutionofmembersoftheNaqshbandigroup,andmayhavebeenlinkedtoafearofreprisalbysupporters.

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On19September,ISILconductedacampaignofabductionsinHawijadistrict,southwestofKirkuk. According to sources, ISIL abducted at least 10 Imams known as “moderate”Salafists,inAbbasisub-districtandsurroundingvillages.Theabductionsreportedlystemmedfrom the alleged distribution of leaflets, in and around Abbasi, voicing opposition to ISILideologyandindicatingthatitwasnotrepresentativeofIslam.A“moderate”Salafistgroupallegedly signed the leaflets. Sources reported that on the same day, ISIL abducted 15civilian youths in al-Khan village, east of Hawija, on charges of cooperating with ISF. ThewhereaboutsoftheImamsandtheyouthsisunknown.

Reports were received of the mass abduction of children by ISIL in order to train them ascombatants.On21June,localmediareportedthatISILhadabducted1,227childrenagedbetweennine and 15 years from various districts of Mosul, Ninewa. The children were reportedly beingforcedtoundergotrainingatISILcampsontheeasternoutskirtsofMosul.On23June,theMinistryofHumanRightsissuedastatementconfirmingtheabductionofthechildren,addingthattheywerebeing held at the al-Salamiya Camp in Mosul. The statement further claimed that children whorefused to obey ISIL orderswere flogged, tortured or raped. However, information received andverifiedbyUNAMI/OHCHRon25Juneclaimedthatthenumberofabductedchildrenwaslowerthaninitially reported, being between 800 and 900. The childrenwere divided into two groups: thoseagedbetweenfiveand10wereplaced inareligiouseducationcamp;andthoseagedbetween10and15wereforcedintomilitarytraining.ThechildrenhavebeentakentoISILal-Izzaandal-GhizlanicampsinthesouthofMosul.

A variety of reasons were reported for other abductions. On 22 June, ISIL took six Sunni clericscaptiveinMosul,Ninewa,forfailingtocomplywithanISILinstructionforbiddingthepracticeofthetaraweehprayers.Thefateandwhereaboutsoftheclericsarenotknown.Onoraround1August,four journalism students at the University of Mosul were abducted by ISIL from their homes inMosul,Ninewa,forallegedlycooperatingwiththeinternationalpress.Reportedly,thestudentshadbeen abducted for publishing images of the, “…land of the caliphate,” on social media, thereby“cooperating”withtheinternationalpress.Thestudentswereallegedlytakentoal-Ghizlanimilitarybase to await being brought before a self-appointed ISIL judge. UNAMI/OHCHR was not able toverifythisincident.

ConductofoperationsAttacksagainstciviliansanddestructionofcivilianinfrastructureandobjects

ISILcontinuedtodeliberatelytargetciviliansandcivilianobjectsforattack,andcarriedoutattacksheedlessoftheeffectsoncivilians.Itcontinuedtobaseitsfightersamongciviliansorincivilianareasso as to shield its fighters from attack. Deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure,carrying out attacks heedless of the effects on civilians, and locating fighters among civilian andcivilian infrastructure constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law and canconstitutewarcrimesandcrimesagainsthumanity.Anumberofcasesofthedestructionofhouseswere received, particularly those belonging to Christian families and otherminority religious andethniccommunities,andrelativesorperceivedsympathizersofthosefightingagainstISIL.

UNAMI/OHCHRcontinuedtoverifyreportsofthedirecttargetingofciviliansbyISILasadeliberatetactic,particularlytheuseofvehiclesorsuicideborneimprovisedexplosivedevices(VBIED/SBIED),takingaheavytolluponthecivilianpopulation.Forexample,ontheeveningof17July,astheEidal-FitrcelebrationsmarkingtheendofRamadancommenced,asuicidevehicle ladenwithexplosives(SVBIED) detonated in the main public market of Khan Bani Saad sub-district south of Baquba,Diyala, killing at least 108 people andwounding 167. Three police officerswere killed and sevenwerewounded among the casualties. The incident devastated the area, destroyingmore than 50shops and 70 cars, and leaving behind a large crater. ISIL claimed responsibility for the attack in

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socialmediaposts,declaringthethree-tonexplosiveattacktargetedtheShi’acommunity,allegedlyto avenge the killing of Sunnis in Hawija. The United Nations Secretary-General and his SpecialRepresentativeforIraqbothcondemnedtheattackandofferedtheircondolencestothefamiliesofvictimsinseparatestatements.32

On10August,aSBIEDattacktookplaceinacrowdedmarketplace,inHwaidervillage,justoutsideof Baquba city,Diyala. According to reports, the perpetrator deliberately drove his vehicle into acrowdofpeoplegatheredatthemarketplace.Theexplosionkilledatleast61peopleandwoundedatleast88,includingfourchildren.AnunverifiednumberofISFmembersarebelievedtohavebeenamongthecasualties.ADiyala factionof ISILclaimedresponsibilityfortheattackonsocialmedia.Ontheeveningof5October,amini-busriggedwithexplosiveswasdetonatedinamainmarketinKhalis district, northwest of Baquba, killing at least 40 civilians andwounding at least 60 others.Between 10 and 20 people remainmissing. Themajority of casualties are believed to have beencivilians, includinga significantnumberofwomenandchildren. ISIL-associatedmediaclaimed ISILresponsibilityfortheattack.

InBaghdad,on13August,aVBIEDdetonatedattheJameelawholesalemarketintheShi’amajoritySadrCity,intheeastofthecity.Accordingtoreports,atleast45peoplewerekilledandatleast72woundedby theblast, forwhich ISIL claimed responsibility. TheDeputy Special RepresentativeoftheUnitedNationsSecretary-GeneralforIraqcondemnedtheattackandofferedhiscondolencestothefamiliesofvictims.33On6October,ISILdetonatedanIEDintheal-Zubairdistrict,westofBasracity, killing 10 civilians and injuring 25. The IEDwas planted in a vehicle thatwas parked on thestreet, in thecentreofal-Zubairandalsocausedextensivedamage tonearbyshopsandcars. ISILclaimedresponsibilityfortheblastonitswebsitesoonafter,statingthatitwasconnectedtoseveralother coordinated blasts that had occurred around the country, and aimed at killing and injuringmembersoftheShi’acommunity.ThiswasthesecondattackofthiskindthattookplaceinsouthernIraqthisyear–aftertheattackatUmQassarPort,BasraGovernorate,on18March,whenanIEDdetonated,killingfivepeopleandinjuringatleastfiveothers.

Whiletheprecisereasonsformanyofthetargetedkillingsareunknown,informationindicatesthatISILcontinuestotargetparticularindividualsandgroups,suchasthoseopposedorperceivedtobeopposed to it and its ideology. Former candidates for public office, employees and formeremployees of IHEC, and those suspected of passing information to Government and associatedforceswereparticularlytargeted.

On2June,ISILdestroyedeighthousesbelongingtoChristianfamiliesinHamdaniyadistrict,northofMosul,Ninewa.On22June,italsoblewuphousesbelongingtoChristiansinHayal-Arabi,northofMosul,andintheal-Zahoorarea,inthecentreofMosulcity.EighthousesweredestroyedinHayal-Arabi, while as many as 14 were reportedly destroyed in al-Zahoor. On 1 July, ISIL destroyed aChristianhouseintheHayal-ShifaaareaofMosul.

The houses of relatives or perceived sympathizers of those fighting ISIL were also targeted fordestructionaspunishmentbyproxyandtoserveasanexampletoothers.On29July,ISILusedIEDstodestroy15housesbelongingtoeldersoftheSbaaweenclaninGwerinMakhmourdistrict,Erbil.Thehouseswereallegedlytargetedbecauseoftheelders’affiliationwiththeNationalCrowdForce(also knownas the ‘NationalMobilization to LiberateNinewa’).34On1August, ISIL allegedly usedIEDstodestroythreehousesinDwezatTahtanivillage,inQayarrasub-districtofMosul.Thehouses 32 http://www.uniraq.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=4073:statement-attributable-to-the-spokesman-for-the-secretary-general-on-a-bomb-attack-north-of-Baghdad&Itemid=605&lang=en andhttp://www.uniraq.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=4070:un-envoy-expresses-his-deepest-sorrow-following-devastating-massacre&Itemid=605&lang=en(accessed23July2015).33 http://www.uniraq.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=4153:acting-un-envoy-condemns-in-the-strongest-terms-devastating-baghdad-bomb-attack&Itemid=605&lang=en.34 The National Crowd Force (also known as the NationalMobilization to Liberate Ninewa) is a group was specificallyformedtoliberateMosulandistobedistinguishedfromPMUs/al-Hashidal-Sha’bi’.

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were also reportedly targeted because their owners were al-Hashd al-Sha’bi members, currentlyfightingISILintheGwerfrontlineinMakhmour.

On 2 September, ISIL destroyed 11 homes belonging to members of the Shabak community ineasternMosul,Ninewa. On 3 September, it also blew up three houses belonging to relatives ofmembersoftheNationalCrowdForceandvolunteersinQayyarasub-district,southofMosul.On21September, ISIL destroyed up to 21 houses in an unspecified village near Mosul, allegedly tointimidatethepopulation.

Destructionordamageofplacesofreligiousandculturalsignificance

ISIL continued to deliberately and wantonly loot and destroy places of religious and culturalsignificance.Ithastargetedancientsites,aswellaschurches,mosques,shrines,tombs,andgraves,whichISILconsidersasun-Islamic.Generally,thesesitesarelootedbeforebeingdestroyed.

Examples of this destruction include the attack, using two IEDs, upon a Shi’a religiousmosque/school in Kirkuk city, on 13 July. A first IED was detonated near Imam Ja’far al-SadiqHusseiniya school, in theWasiti area, southwestofKirkuk city.A fewminutes later, a second IEDwasdetonatedacrossthestreetfromthesamefacility.Nocasualtieswerereportedintheincident.

Multiplesourcesconfirmedthaton8May,ISILlootedandthendestroyedthebiggestSunnimosquein Badoush sub-district (35 km northwest ofMosul,Ninewa) allegedly due to the existence of atombinsidethemosque,whichtheyobjectedto.Itwasreportedthaton12May,ISILblewupthenearly200-year-oldMaryamKhatoonmosqueintheHawshKahnneighborhoodofMosul,Ninewa.

On28May,PMUsandISFenteredtheSaiedKhareebareasouthofTikrit,Salahal-Din,whereintheyallegedlyfoundtheSaieedKhareebshrinedestroyed,thebodyoftheholyImamremovedfromhistomb,andthecontentsoftheshrinelooted.TheShi’aAsa’ibAhlal-Haq(AAH)issuedastatement35allegingthatISILwasresponsibleforthedestructionandlootingoftheshrine.

On3 June, ISILdestroyeda Sunnimosque in Ismail village, inHawijadistrict,KirkukGovernorate,reportedlybecauseitcontainedthegraveofSheikhAhmedAbdullah,aSunniSufischolarwhodiedin 1975 and who was a follower of the well-known Sufi Imam Abdulkadir al-Gailani. No civiliancasualtieswerereported.

On the evening of 24 August, pictures were posted on social media depicting the destruction ofgravesinQairawansubdistrict,Sinjardistrict,Ninewa.ThephotoswereissuedbythemediaofficeofWalayahal-azirah(whichISILhasproclaimedasanadministrativeareathatincludesareasofSinjar,Tal Afar, Tal Abth, Baaj, Mahlbah and Zummar), with a statement depicting the destruction of‘kufaar’ graves and ‘manifestations of polytheism’. The series of 10 pictures shows ISIL elementssmashinggravestoneswithshovelsandotherinstruments,anddestroyingabuildingwithexplosivesandabulldozer.Ithasnotbeendeterminedifthepicturesweretakeninasinglelocation.

ISILalsotargetedYezidiandChristianplacesofworship.WhilebrieflyoccupyingGabarravillage(aYezidivillage,westofSinjartown),Ninewa,ISILdestroyedaYezidishrine(GubaSheikhHassan)withtworocket-propelledgrenades.On22August,itdestroyedtheal-Tahirachurch,inMosulcity,usingbulldozers. The church belonged to the Syrian Orthodox community. On 12 September, ISILreportedly used explosives to destroy the Syriac Orthodox church in al-Muhaniseen area, east ofMosul.Housesnearthechurchwerealsoreportedlydamagedintheexplosion.

On 29 August, ISIL destroyed the Sunni Abu BakrMosque in Shoura sub---district,Mosul district,Ninewa, after removing items from the mosque. It reportedly used IEDs to destroy the mosquebecause it containedgraveswhich ISIL considered tobe ‘un-Islamic’. Inaddition todestroying the 35http://www.ara.shafaaq.com/4227(accessed26October2015).

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mosque, ISIL removed historical inscriptions from the front of two churches – the Virgin MaryChurchandtheChaldeanChurch–locatedinDoctorStreet,centralMosul.

Allegationsconcerningtheuseofchemicalweapons

UNAMI/OHCHRhasreceivedinformationthatISILhasused,orhasattemptedtouse,chlorinegasinattacks. On or around 21 June, ISIL reportedly fired a chemical mortar shell that struck sandbagfortificationsataKurdishmilitarypositionnearMosulDam,Ninewa,causingseveralKurdishfightersnearwhereitlandedtobecomeill.

On 12 August, ISIL allegedly used chemical weapons against Peshmerga forces stationed on theGwerfrontline,Makhmourdistrict,Erbil.Internationalmediareportedon9SeptemberthatGermanmilitary intelligencesupported theclaims thatPeshmergaelementshadbeenexposedtomustardgas. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons voiced serious concern over thereports.36

AttacksonindividualsonthebasisofsexualorientationUNAMI/OHCHRalsoverifiedanumberofreportsof individualsmurdered(bythrowingthemfrombuildings)byISILforbeinghomosexual.

On4 June, ISILkilled threecivilians forallegedhomosexualacts.Twoyoungmalesanda60-year-oldmanwerethrownfromtheNationalInsuranceCompanybuildingin the Dawasa area of central Mosul,Ninewa. A document condemning themenissuedbyanISILself-appointedcourtwasreadbeforethemenwerekilled.Picturesshowingthekillingswerepostedonsocialmedia.

On27 June, ISILallegedlyexecuted fourmen itaccusedofcommittingsodomy,by throwingthemfromthetallestbuildinginFallujah,Anbar.Avideowasputonlineshowingthemurders.On26July,ISILpostedsix imagesonsocialmediadepictingamanbeingkilledinMosul,Ninewa,forallegedlybeinghomosexual. The images showa largecrowdgathered in frontofabuildingand thevictim,blindfolded, with his hands apparently tied behind his back, kneeling on the ground while acondemnation froman ISIL self-appointedcourt is readout.Fiveof ISILal-Hisba standbehind thevictimwhoisthenthrownfromthetopofthebuilding.

On23August,pictureswerepostedonsocialmediadepictingamanbeingthrownfromabuildinginWalayahNinawa (the cityofMosul and surrounding towns).A caption states that the victimwaskilled for being homosexual. The same day, ISIL members threw nine people from a building inMosul,Ninewa.ISILreportedlyroundedupresidentsofthecityinordertowatchtheincident,uponorders from an ISIL self-appointed court. It is not known if the report is related to the picturespostedonthesameday.Onthemorningof8October,ISILpubliclymurderedtwomenaged21and26, by throwing them from the top of an eight-storey building, in the Palestine area of westernMosul,forallegedlybeinghomosexual.ThevictimswerekilledfollowingthedecisionofanISILself-appointedcourt.

AttacksonwomenandchildrenGender-basedviolence,includingsexualviolence

ISILcontinuedtosubjectwomenandchildrentosexualviolence,particularly intheformofsexualslavery. UNAMI/OHCHR continues to believe that the number of people currently being held in

36 https://www.opcw.org/news/article/dg-concerned-over-alleged-chemical-weapons-use-in-iraq/ (accessed 26October2015).

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slavery by ISIL numbers approximately 3,500.37 Those being held are predominantly women andchildrenandcomeprimarily fromtheYezidi community,butanumberarealso fromotherethnicand religious minority communities. UNAMI/OHCHR continues to have grave concerns for thewelfareandsafetyofthoseheldinISILcaptivity.

A sourceconfirmed toUNAMI/OHCHRthaton theeveningof8May,a24-year-oldYezidigirlwasmurdered by ISIL while trying to escape from captivity. She had been held in captivity in Kursevillage, Sinjardistrict,Ninewa, afterbeingabductedwithher family fromSnone sub-district, on3August2014.HerbodywasreportedlyleftontheroadandlaterfoundbyYezidifighters.

On25JuneitwasreportedinNinewaGovernoratethat42YezidiwomenabductedfromtheSinjarregion of Ninewa in 2014 had been taken to the ISIL-controlled town of Mayadeen, Deir EzzorGovernorate,easternSyria.ThereportclaimedthatthewomenwerebeingusedassexslavesandthatsomehadbeensoldtoISILfightersforbetweenUSD500andUSD2,000.

On3August, itwas reported that ISIL allegedly killed19women inMosul,Ninewa, over 1 and2August,forrefusingtohavesexwithitsfighters.On 10 August, aKurdishDemocratic Party officialreported that ISIL fighters had been rewarded by ISIL leadership with thewidows of executedmentomotivatethemtocontinuefighting.

On 21 June, in Mosul,Ninewa, it was reported that ISIL had announced a Quran memorizationcompetition in Mosul on the occasion of Ramadan, stating that the first three winners wouldreportedlyreceive‘sexslaves’asprizes.

Forcedrecruitmentanduseofchildren

UNAMI/OHCHR received several reports that ISIL has been forcibly recruiting and using childsoldiers. For instance, multiple sources confirmed that on 11 May, the unit of ISIL in charge ofrecruitmentvisitedhighschools intheHayal-TaminareaofeasternMosul,Ninewa,andinformedthe students that theymustpledgeallegiance to thegroupand join jihad.The studentswerenotgiventheoptiontodeclineandtheirfamilieswerenotconsulted.LocalmediafurtherreportedthatISILhadestablishedmilitarytrainingcampsforchildreninTalAfarandinRaqqa,Syria.

On14May,ISILusedsomerecruitedchildsoldierstoexecute15ofitsfighterswhohadlostbattlesorretreatedfrombattlesinBashiqahsub-district,Hamdaniyadistrict,intheNinewaplains.

On23May,ISILannouncedatschoolsanduniversitiesinNinewaGovernoratethatallmalestudents must join ISIL after the completion of their current exams. He announcementstatedthattheal-HisbasectionofISIL,whichisresponsibleformonitoringanddiscipliningtheconductofresidents,wouldregisterthenamesofmalehighschoolstudentsofMosul.Itwasreportedthataftertheexamperiodhadconcluded,studentswouldbeconvenedattheMa’amon andHurraiah areas of easternMosul,where theywould be vetted to ascertaintheirphysicalfitness.

On14August,ISILkilled18youngmales,allbelowtheageof18,forhavingrunawayfromfightingonthefrontlineinAnbar.Accordingtoasource,theboysleftthefrontwithoutbeingnoticed,butwere identified by residents upon their return to Mosul. An ISIL self-appointed court allegedlyorderedtheirkilling.

UNAMI/OHCHR received information, collected from several families who had had their childrenabductedbyISIL,thatthegrouphaspossiblyrecruitedhundredsofchildreninAnbarGovernorate.FamiliestriedtoconvinceISILmembersnottotaketheirchildren,whichtheyrefused,statingthat 37 Official sources in the Yezidi community informed OHCHR/UNAMI HRO that 5,838 people had beenabductedby ISIL fromAugust2014 -3,192womenand2,646men.Asof29October,2,258had reportedlyreturned/escapedorwerereleased–311men,847women,533girls,and567boys.

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the children should participate in jihad. The source also stated that some tribes in Anbar wereallowing,andinsomecasesforcing,familiestosendtheirchildrentojoinISIL.

AttacksonethnicandreligiousminoritycommunitiesISIL continues to target members of different ethnic and religious communities, intentionallydepriving them of their fundamental rights and subjecting them to a range of abuses underinternational human rights andhumanitarian law. These acts appear to formpart of a systematicand widespread policy that aims to suppress, permanently expel, or destroy many of thesecommunitieswithinISILareasofcontrol.

However,duringthereportingperiod,thenumberofindividualreportsofsuchabusesreceivedbyUNAMI/OHCHRmarkedly decreased from previous reporting periods. It is likely thatmost of themembersofethnicandreligiousminoritycommunitiesformerlylocatedinareasofISILcontrolhavebeenkilledorabductedbyISIL,orfledthoseareasduringtheperiodstartingfromJune2014uptoApril 2015. However, UNAMI/OHCHR cannot exclude that specific human rights abuses targetingindividuals fromethnic and religious communities have continued in areasunder ISIL control, butowingto the inaccessibilityof theseareas, ithasnot receivedsuchreportsand isunable toverifythem. Other abuses and violations perpetrated by ISIL against members of ethnic and religiouscommunitiesandverifiedbyUNAMI/OHCHRarelistedunderothersubheadingsinthisreport.

DenialofotherfundamentalrightsandfreedomsCivilianslivingunderISILrulearesubjectedtoaharshsystemofregulations,facingtortureandothercruel and inhuman treatment or punishment, including death, for failing to comply. Regulationstouchuponallaspectsofeverydaylife,dictatingwherepeoplecantravel,howtheymustdress,towhomtheycanspeak,andwhattheycancelebrate.

UNAMI/OHCHR was informed that men are required to grow beards of a certain length, whilewomen face strict regulations concerning their clothing, employment and movements. Sourcesindicatedthatwomenmustbefullycoveredandareonlyallowedtomoveinpublicinthecompanyofwhatisdeemedtobeanappropriatelyrelatedmalechaperone.

Multiplesourcesreportedthaton17May,ISILissuednewrulesfortheresidentsofMosul,NinewaGovernorate, for themonthofRamadan(beginningaftermid-June)whichpermittedmentoworkforonlytwohoursaday,andrequiredtheyspendtherestofthedaypraying.Additionally,womenwouldnotbepermitted to leave theirhomes fromdawnuntil sunset (timeof fasting).After that,womenwould be allowed tomove, but only if accompanied by an appropriatemale (a husband,brother,sonorfather).Furthermore,allstoresinMosul(exceptfoodstoresandpharmacies)wouldbeclosedduringthelast10daysofRamadan.Reportedly,theruleswereannouncedthroughlocaltelevisionchannels inMosulandonbannershung inthestreets. Itwasalsoconfirmedthaton17May, ISIL started instructing Mosul’s male residents to grow beards and shave mustaches. Themeasure is allegedly partly intended to make it more difficult to distinguish ISIL members fromcivilians.On10June,ISILissuedalistofinstructionsconfirmingtheserules.

AsidefromregulationsimposedforRamadan,everydaylifeinareasunderISILcontrolisreportedtobecharacterizedbyarbitraryabuseofpowerandroutinecontrolovermostaspectsoflife.Sourcesreported that inNinewa Governorate, ISILmembers frequently steal the possessions of civilians,demandrentfrompeoplewhofledtheirvillagesandmovedintoabandonedhomeselsewhere,andthatciviliansareforcedtopayataxbasedonthevalueoftheirpossessions.Strictdresscodeshavebeenimposedonmenandwomen,withwomenbeingfinedifnotfullycovered.UnderrulesissuedinMay, menmust adopt an Afghani style of dress and grow long beards. Those without beardswouldbejailedfortwomonths.On24September,duringEidal-Adha,ISILabducted36youngmenin Mosul, Ninewa, for wearing jeans, considered by ISIL as inappropriate. Members of al-Hisbareportedlypunishedthemenbyshavingtheirhairandfloggingtheminthestreet.

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ISILregularlyforcespeopletogatherinpublicplacesinMosultowatchpunishmentsimposedbyitsself-appointedcourts,includingstoningandbeheadings.

MenarepressuredtojoinISIL,includingthroughImamsatlocalmosques.

InareascontrolledbyISILmanyvillagesarereportedlyreceivingonlyafewhoursofelectricityaday,ifatall, and food isbecomingscarce.The foodavailable forpurchasehasbecomeveryexpensiveand people are reportedly beginning to starve. Villagers are not permitted to leave withoutpermissionfromISILandthosecaughtattemptingtodosohavebeentorturedorexecuted.SimilarconditionshavebeenreportedbypeoplewhohaveescapedfromHawija,Kirkuk.

Violationsandabusescommittedbypro-GovernmentforcesUNAMI/OHCHR has received reports of abuses and violations of human rights and violations ofinternationalhumanitarianlawperpetratedbypro-Governmentforces.

ISF and associated forces are bound to respect applicable international humanitarian law in theconductofmilitaryoperations.UNAMI/OHCHRcontinuestoreceiveinformationthatsomemilitaryoperationsappeartohavedirectly targetedciviliansandcivilian infrastructureorwerecarriedoutwithouttakingallfeasibleprecautionstoprotectthecivilianpopulationandcivilianobjects.ReportsreceivedbyUNAMI/OHCHRalso indicate that someassociated forceshavebeenoperating largelyoutside of Government control and have perpetrated abuses against civilians, including killings,abductionsanddestructionofproperty.

RestrictionsonfreedomofmovementAshugenumbersofcivilianscontinuedtomovearoundthecountry,fleeingfightingorviolenceorISILoccupation,theyhaveoftenfacedrestrictionsthathavehamperedtheiraccesssafeareas.

Forinstance,on11July,around55families(composedof316individuals,including50children)whohadfledconflictareasinAnbar,Salahal-DinandKirkukwerestoppedattheDaquq-TuzKhurmatucheckpointon theirway toKirkuk city. Local security sources confirmed that theKirkuk governorhad given instructions to prevent more IDPs from entering the city. Responding UN agenciesreportedanumberofhumanitarianconcernsofthosestoppedatthecheckpoint,includingtheneedforshelterfromsevereheatandexposure,dehydration,malnutrition,acutemedicalneedsandtheneedforpsychosocialsupport.UNAMI/OHCHRalsoreceivedreportsthatsomeofthefamilieswereable to enter Kirkuk city only through the sponsorship of relatives or friends who are Kirkukresidents,orthroughbribesgiventolocalauthorities.

On11September,around250familieswhohadescapedtheclashesinvillagesnearDaquqdistrict,Kirkuk(includingthevillagesofTalRaba’a,AlbuMohammed,DalafShagheer,DalafKabeer,Saba’aNissan,Gumbus,Zaglawa,SmoodandTappaDooSar),gathered inapublicpark near the Daquq-Tuz Khurmatu checkpoint. They were prevented by security forcesfromproceedingfurthertowardssaferareasinDaquqorKirkukcity.

Policeraidsandarbitraryarrests

UNAMI/OHCHRreceivedreportsofIDPs,mostlyfromKirkukcity,whowereabletoaccesssafeareasbutweresubjectedtoarbitraryarrests inraidsbysecurityforces.Forexample,on3June,securityforcesinKirkukconductedaraidintheWahadHuzairanneighbourhoodinKirkukcityandarrested71IDPsonsuspicionofterrorismortrespassingpublicgrounds.ThearrestedindividualswerefromSalahal-Din,Anbar,Basra,DiyalaandBaghdad.SuchraidsandarrestswerefrequentinthesouthernneighborhoodsofKirkukcitywheretherewasalargenumberofIDPs.Thearrestedindividualswereoftentimesreleasedafteradayortwoindetention.

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On16July,securityforcesinKirkukconductedaraidintheKhadhra’aarea,inthesouthwestpartofthecity.Reportedlyconductedasaprecautionarymeasure,theraidtookplacetheeve of theEid holidays. Seventy-nine individualswere arrested,most ofwhomwere IDPsresiding in Kirkuk city. The security authorities allegedly had received information aboutsuspected terroristactivitiesbeforeandduringEidholidays.Thearrested individualswerereleasedwithintwodaysandwithoutanycharge.

On27August,policeforcesconductedaraidinal-Askarineighbourhood,inthesoutheastofKirkuk,andarrested53 individuals,mostofwhomwere IDPs.Theyweredetained inDomizpolicestationandwerereleasedafterasecurityscreeningandbackgroundcheck.

On1September,42individuals,mostofwhomwereIDPs,werearrestedduringaraidintheWahedHuzairanneighbourhood,apredominantlySunniArabarea inKirkuk city.A totalof31 individualswere arrested for not being registered, not having identification documents, or having fakedocuments.ElevenotherswerereportedlywantedforsuspectedaffiliationwithISIL.

On 22 September, security forces conducted a raid in Quriya area of Kirkuk city. According tosources, the raid was conducted in neighbourhoods close to the Kirkuk government building,includingQuriya,Shatorlu,OmmalSquare,AlmasandSahatTayran.Atotalof68IDPsfromdifferentgovernorateswerearrested,withasignificantproportioncomingfromTuzdistrict inSalahal-Din.Theywerearrestedforvariousreasons,includingillegalentryintoKirkuk,failuretoregisterwiththeMinistry of Displacement and Migration (MoDM), and failure to present proper identification.Anothersourcestatedthatsecurityconcernspromptedtheraidbasedontheproximityofa largenumber of IDPs to the Kirkuk government building. According to security sources, all 68 werereleasedon22-23September.

Forcedevictions

UNAMI/OHCHRverifiedanumberofreportsoffamiliesandindividualswhowereabletoaccesssafeareasbeingforciblymovedfromsuchareasandtheirtemporarysheltersandstructuresdemolished.

For instance, on 27 July, security forces evicted a number of IDPs living in unlawfully constructedhousesinSayadaneighbourhood,inthesouthofKirkukcity.TheIDPsweremainlyfromSalahal-Dinand Diyala, and hadmoved to Kirkuk years ago as part of previous waves of IDPs. During theeviction, 39 male IDP residents were arrested by security forces but were released after theypromised to vacate their homes.Asof 30 July, around80homeshadbeendemolishedwhile thesecurityforcesclaimedthat10housesweredestroyed.

UNAMI/OHCHRalso receivedreports thaton16August,Peshmerga forcesstarteddemolishinganunknownnumberofhousesandstructures inSunniArab-inhabitedareas inJalawla inDiyala.ThisdemolitionhappenedintheTajneed,WahdaandShuhadaaareasofthegovernorate.Photosofthereported demolition were given to UNAMI/OHCHR showing several demolished and burnedstructures.

UnlawfulkillingsUNAMI/OHCHRreceivedanumberofseriousallegationsofunlawfulkillingscommittedby ISFandassociatedforces.TheseincidentsincludedallegedattacksandreprisalsagainstpersonsbelievedorperceivedtosupportortobeassociatedwithISIL.

Forexample,on9June,avideowaspostedinsocialmediashowingagroupofmen,wearingwhatappeared to be Iraqi Federal Police uniforms, burning a cadaver and shouting sectarian chants.Sources informedUNAMI/OHCHR that the corpsewas foundnear al-Alam sub-district inSalahal-Din,duringtheoperationstoliberateTikrit,inFebruary.Inthevideo,thosesettingfiretothebodywereheardsayingthedeceased’snameandthathewasaSaudicitizen.Theywerealsoheardsaying

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that thiswas a gift for the people of al-Hasa andQatif (areas in Saudi Arabiawhere there are asignificantnumberofShi’aMuslims).

Inasimilar incident,avideowaspostedonlinepurportingtoshowmembersoftheShi’a ImamAliBrigadesburningthebodyofamanhangingbyhisfeetinthetownofGarma,northeastofFallujah,inAnbar.Inthevideo,theperpetratorsaccusedthemanofbeingamemberofISIL.Accordingtoalocalsource,thevideowasshotinthetownofGarma.Accordingtoanotherlocalsource,themankilled was a member of ISIL from Fallujah. UNAMI/OHCHR could not independently verify theincidentnortheauthenticityofthevideo.

AbductionsUNAMI/OHCHR received reports of abductions allegedly perpetrated by pro-Government forcesagainstSunnitribesorindividuals.

For instance,on16 July, agroupofAsa’ibAhlal-Haq (AAH)membersentered Jalludiyat village inDujaildistrict inTikrit inSalahal-Din, andabducted12civilians from theKhazraj tribe (which isaSunnitribe)reportedlyduetoatribalconflictbetweentwofamilies.Thebrotherofatribal leaderwasamongthoseabducted.

On17July,unidentifiedarmedmenabductedacivilianintheal-AskariareaofTuzKhurmatudistrict,in Salah al-Din. The victim was a Sunni Arab IDP from Sulaiman Beg sub-district, south of TuzKhurmatu.On18July,unidentifiedarmedmenabductedanothercivilianintheal-Askariarea.ThesecondvictimwasalsoanIDPfromtheSunniArabcommunityfromHilewatvillageinTuzKhurmatudistrict.SourcesstronglyassertedtoUNAMI/OHCHRthatmilitiamemberswerebehindboththeseabductions.

On28 July, armedmilitiamembersabducted three civilianson themain roadbetweenAbuSaidasub-districtandBaquba.ThevictimswereSunniArabsfromtheZuherattribeandincludedthesonofatriballeader.

On1September,armedmilitiamemberswearingblackuniformsstoppedpoliceandarmyvehiclesthatweretransportingatleast40detainees,allSunniArabsfromSalahal-Din.Themilitia stopped the convoynearBaladdistrict, Salah al-Din, after firingwarning shots intothe air and at the tires of the vehicles. They then physically assaulted and disarmed thesecurityforces.TheabducteeshadbeenarrestedinJuneforterrorism-relatedoffensesandhad been detained in the Brigade 17 Iraqi Army detention centre in Dujail, Salah al-Din.Reports further stated that, at the time of their abduction, the detainees were beingtransferredtoBaghdad.

In the earlymorning of 27 September, a convoy of 20 pick-up trucks carryingmasked gunmen inmilitaryuniformarrived in theAlb-Tua’maareaofHujjaj village, inBaiji district,Salahal-Din, andforcibly took at least 28 civilians from the area -which is inhabited bymembers of the al-Jubourtribe.Thevictimswereallmalesfromtheal-Jubourtribe.Asourceindicatedthattheyweretakenina systematic manner, based on a list of names produced according to intelligence and securityinformation. All abductees allegedly had current or past affiliationwith ISIL or family connectionsassociatedwith ISIL.Othersourcesreportedthat themaskedgunmenwhotooktheciviliansweremilitia.

On22October,PMUsabductedatleast175civiliansfromtheAskariandTinareasofTuzKhurmatudistrict,Salahal-Din.ThevictimswereSunniArabs,whohadbeendisplacedtoTuzKhurmatusinceJune2014. Theoperation started at sunset,withpeople grabbedduringhouse-to-house searchesand inthestreets, takentoPMUsfacilities inSulaimanBegandYengijavillage,andkeptthere fortwodays forquestioning.On23October, thebodiesof threeabductees (aPoliceofficerand twocivilians)werereportedlyfoundintheAskariarea.Around130oftheabducteeswerereleased;the

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others remained captive at the time of reporting. The operation was conducted without arrestwarrantsorcoordinationwithlocalauthorities.

AttacksagainstethnicandreligiouscommunitiesUNAMI/OHCHRreceivedonereportinvolvinganallegedattackbyGovernment-associatedforcesofmembersofanethnicorreligiouscommunityinDiyala.On5May,threetruckdriverswerekilledatacheckpointsetupbyShi’amilitiasinNaftKhanaareainKhanaqindistrict,northofBaquba,Diyala.According to a source, the victims were Kurds from Sulaymaniyah. Their trucks were reportedlyburned.SourcesreportedthatsincethebeginningofMay,Shi’amilitiasstartedsettingcheckpointsin theareaand stoppedKurdishdrivers andpassengers,harassingandassaulting themaswell asdamagingtheirvehicles.

ConductofoperationsUNAMI/OHCHR received continued reports of heavy civilian casualties attributed to airstrikes.However, UNAMI/HRO was unable to verify most of these reports. Difficulties also arise inattributing airstrikes to specific military forces. It is also complex to assess whether principles ofdistinction and proportionality were adhered to, considering that ISIL deliberately bases itself incivilian areas, often fails to distinguish themselves as fighters, and use civilians and civilianinfrastructureasshields.

Airstrikes

On22-23May,UNAMI/OHCHRreceivedareportthatairstrikeshital-Najjar,al-RifaiandSahaaareasinwesternMosulinNinewa,allegedlykilling30civiliansandwounding62others,includingwomenandchildren.UNAMI/OHCHRwasnotabletoverifythisreport.

On3 June,anexplosiondue toanairstrike38 inKirkuk’sHawijadistrictallegedlykilledseveral ISILfightersandcivilians.Somereports indicated that thestructurewasastorage facility forchemicalfertilizers,whileothersreportedthatthewarehousewasbeingusedtobuildvehicle-borneIEDs.AmemberoftheKirkukProvincialCouncilwasquotedbymultiplelocalsourcesasstatingthataround150 individuals, including women and children, were allegedly killed and wounded in the blast.Picturesandvideoshaveemergedinmediaandonlineshowinganareapurportingtobetheblastsite that has been almost completely flattened. UNAMI/OHCHR was not able to verify theauthenticityofthephotosorthevideos,northenumberofciviliancasualties.

On8June, localsourcesreportedthatanairstrike inMosul,Ninewa,caused33civiliancasualties.Thereportallegedthatseveral residentialneighbourhoods inal-Zuhourdistrictwerehit,killing20civilians, including seven children andninewomen, andwounding 13 others,mostlywomen. Thesource claimed that therewereno ISILmembers in the affectedneighbourhoods.UNAMI/OHCHRwasunabletoverifythestatusofallthecasualtiesnorwhowasresponsiblefortheairstrikes.

On11June,anairstrikereportedlyhitanISILtargetnearamarketinHawija,Kirkuk.Accordingtoasource,10civilianswerekilledandwoundedintheincident.Otherreportsmentionedmorethan60civilians killed and over 80 wounded. UNAMI/OHCHR was unable to verify the exact number ofcasualtiesnorwhowasresponsiblefortheairstrike.

On23June,ahousewasallegedlytargetedbyanairstrikeinBaijidistrict,Salahal-Din,whichkilledsix civilians (including four children) andwounded eight others. The housewas reported to havebeenlocatedclosetoamosquewhich,atthetimeoftheattack,wasoccupiedbyISIL.Alocalsourcefrom Baiji stated that the house was hit by mistake and that the target was the ISIL-occupiedmosque.Thesourcehowevercouldnotconfirmwhocarriedouttheairstrike.

38 In an article published by the Associated Press, a US Air Force official acknowledged the Hawija airstrikewas byUSforces, with no confirmation of civilian casualties. <http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/06/07/us-general-strongly-defends-air-campaign-against-isis/>(accessed11June2015).

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Accordingtoasource,on1July,17civilians,includingfourchildrenandsixwomen,werereportedlykilled in an airstrike conducted in the al-Rifaie area ofwesternMosul,Ninewa. 11 other civilianswerereportedlywounded.UNAMI/OHCHRwasunabletoverifythestatusofall thecasualtiesnorwhowasresponsiblefortheairstrike.

On 31 July, up to 40 civiliansmay have been killed and over 30woundedwhen threehousesallegedlyshelteringIDPswashitbyanairstrikeinRutba,westofRamadi,Anbar.Officialsourcesconfirmedtheincidentandthenumberofcasualties,whichincluded18womenand11children(under14yearsold).Thehousesweretargetedbymilitary jetsafter receiving information that ISIL elements were allegedly inside the houses. ThegovernorofAnbarcalledforanimmediateinvestigationoftheincident.On3August,theSpecialRepresentativeoftheSecretary-General(SRSG)inIraqandHeadofUNAMIissueda press release expressing serious concern at the reported airstrike, and called on theGovernmentofIraqtoinvestigatetheincident.39

Ontheafternoonof18August,amanandhis12year-olddaughterwerereportedlykilledwhenanairstrike hit al-Minassa street, northernMosul. The airstrike allegedly targeted a vehicle carryingthreeassistantstoISILleaderAbuBakral-BaghdadiandajudgeofanISILself-appointedcourt,whowereallkilled.Aroundmidnighton24August,anairstriketargetedavehiclecarryingISILelementsin the Majmoua Thaqafiya area of northern Mosul. The attack reportedly killed nine civilians,includingonewomanandachild,andwoundedthreeothercivilians.

In the earlymorning of 1August,military jets allegedly carried out airstrikes in Zargalivillage,Wartisub-districtofRawanduzdistrict,ErbilGovernorate.Theairstrikeskilledatleast eight individuals and wounded 16. Zargali village is home to around 27 families.AccordingtowitnessesinterviewedbyUNAMI/OHCHRaftertheattacks,theirvillagewasattackedbyTurkishmilitary jetson suspicion that combatants fromPKKor theKurdishWorkers’Partywerepresent in thearea.However, theydenied thisand indicated thatPKKcombatantsresideinacampintheQandilmountains.Theintervieweesaddedthatfour different attacks occurred on 1 August (from 3h50 a.m. to 6h35 a.m.). The firstattackreportedlyconsistedoftwostrikes;thesecondattackconsistedofasinglestrike;the third and fourth consistedof four rockets eachwhichhit simultaneously.After theinitial attacks, some residents left their homes and sought shelter in a nearby farm.However,witnesses alleged that the ensuing attackswere directed at them and otherfleeing residents. Some individuals who tried to assist those wounded were killed orwoundedbythelaterattacks.Theattacksdestroyedsixhousesandkilledfarmanimals.

On3SeptemberanairstrikehitabridgeinJazeeraal-Khaldiya,around20kilometreseastofRamadi,Anbar,killing46civiliansandwounding20.Anothersourceconfirmedthe incidentbutstatedthatthecasualtieswereISILmembers.UNAMI/OHCHRwasnotabletoconfirmthenumberofcasualtiesor their status. On the same day, another airstrike reportedly hit a residential area in easternRamadi, killing 28 civilians.A single source reported this second incident andUNAMI/OHCHRwasunabletoverifyit.

Intheearlymorningof20September,anairstrikehittheal-GhabatareaofMosulcity,asaresultofwhich five civilians (including two women and one girl) from one family were killed. The familymemberswere insidetheirhomeatthetime,whichwasclosetoanISILheadquarters.Whenthat

39UnitedNations Iraq,“SRSGKubišexpressesseriousconcernatreportsofciviliancasualties inallegedAnbarairstrike,”Baghdad, 3 August 2015 <http://www.uniraq.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=4121:srsg-kubis-expresses-serious-concern-at-reports-of-civilian-casualties-in-alleged-anbar-airstrike&Itemid=605&lang=en> lastaccessed20October2015.

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headquarterswas hit,weapons and other equipment inside exploded, causing damage to nearbyhomesandkillingthefamily.Othersourcesreportedthatfourciviliandiedintheattack(a48-year-oldman,a20-year-oldman,a37-year-oldwoman,anda13-year-oldgirl)whiletwocivilianswereseriouslywounded.

On29September,anairstrikewasreportedtohavehittheformerSunniendowmentbuildingnextto the Ninewa Governorate building, in central Mosul. According to some sources, the attackallegedly killed eight civilians (including two women) in addition to 19 ISIL fighters. Around 10minutes later, as civilians were gathering in the area, another airstrike allegedly hit the samelocation, killing 12 civilians (including two children and a woman) and wounding seven, somecritically.Othersourcesreportedhighercasualtyfigures.

On5October,anairstrikemistakenlytargetedacivilianhouseinAtshanavillage,eastofHawijaandsouthwestofKirkuk,thatbelongedtotheMukhtarofthevillage,killingeightpersonsfromthesamefamily,includingseveralwomenandchildrenandtheMukhtarhimself.

At10h30a.m.on20October,sevencivilianswerekilled–includingthreewomenandtwochildren–and one was seriously wounded when the minibus in which they were travelling was hit by anairstrike.Thevictimswereallmembersofonefamilyandweretravellingfromal-QawsiyatvillageinWanasub-district,TalKaifdistrict,toMosul.

Shelling

UNAMI/OHCHRobtainedseveralreportsofciviliancasualtiesresultingfromshelling,allegedlybyISFandassociatedforces,ofareasoccupiedbyISILfighters. Inmanyofthereports,mortarroundshitneighbourhoodspopulatedbycivilians.

Forinstance,accordingtoasource,between30Apriland6May,12menwerekilledand35adults,includingonewoman,werewounded inAnbarGovernorate.Accordingtothesource,mostofthecasualtieswerecausedbyshelling,allegedlycarriedoutby ISFandassociatedforces.Accordingtoanothersource, in theeveningof4 June, ISFandassociated forcesallegedlyconductedshelling intheJolanarea,northernFallujah,Anbar,killingamanandwoundinghiswifeandtheirfivechildren.UNAMI/OHCHRcouldnotverifythesereports.

On 9 June, local sources in Fallujah confirmed that nine individuals were killed and 12 otherswoundedduringbombardmentexchangesbetweensecurityforcesaroundthecity’sperimeterandISILfighters-whohavebeenoccupyingthecityformorethanayear.

Accordingtoasource,on16June,ISFandassociatedforcescarriedoutshellingintheJolanareainnorthern Fallujah, killing two siblings (a three-year-old girl and a five-year-old boy) andwoundingthreemen. UNAMI/OHCHR received video footagewhich showed a damaged housewith severalblood-stainedareas,andanothervideodisplayingthebodyofagirllyingonthefloor,andthefatherand a male neighbour claiming that the shelling was carried out by ISF and associated forces.UNAMI/OHCHRcouldnotverifytheauthenticityofthevideos.

A similar incident is alleged to have occurred on 19 June when, according to a source, shelling,allegedlybyISFandassociatedforces,ontheJolanarea inFallujah,killedthreecivilians:twoboys(five-and12-year-old)andaman.16civilians,includingawomanandtwochildren,werereportedlywounded in the incident. UNAMI/OHCHR received videos and photos showing the bodies of theboys. The videos also showed a public gathering around the bodies of the children and severalpeoplecondemningthekilling,claimingthatthedeathswereduetothe indiscriminateshellingbyISFandassociatedforcesofcivilianhouses.UNAMI/OHCHRcouldnotverifytheauthenticityofthevideosandphotos.

Accordingtoasource,on21June,ISFandassociatedforcesallegedlyconductedshellingoperationsin Fallujah, killing aman andwounding six other civilians, including four children.UNAMI/OHCHR

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receivedphotospurportedlyshowingoneofthechildcasualties.UNAMI/OHCHRcouldnotverifytheauthenticityofthephotos.

Accordingtoasource,duringtheperiod12to15July,40bodies(includingthoseofsixwomenandfourchildren)and94woundedindividuals(including17womenand25children)werebroughttoahospital inAnbar.Reportedly,mostcasualtieswerecausedbyshellingallegedlycarriedoutby ISFandassociatedforces.UNAMI/OHCHRwasnotabletoverifythisreport.

Destructionofcivilianinfrastructureandproperty

Accordingtoapplicablerulesofinternationalhumanitarianlaw,civilianinfrastructureandpropertymaynotbeattackedunlesstheanticipatedmilitaryadvantagetobegainedoutweighstheharmthatthe civilian population would suffer as a result of the attack.UNAMI/OHCHR has nonethelesscontinuedtoreceivereportsofISFandassociatedforcesapparentlydeliberatelydestroyingcivilianinfrastructure or failing to take adequate precautions in the planning and execution of theiroperations.

Accordingtoasource,ontheafternoonof9July,airstrikeshitamarketplaceinShourasub-district,Mosuldistrict,killing11civilians(includingthreewomenandfourchildrenagedbetweentwoand11) and wounding 12 others. The intended target of the airstrikes was reportedly al-Ameensecondary school, which was allegedly occupied by ISIL fighters at the time of the attacks. Themarketplace would have beenmistakenly hit instead. UNAMI/OHCHR was not able to verify thisreport.

Intheearlymorningof13August,amaternityandchildren’shospitalinNassafvillage,southFallujah,washitbyairstrikesreportedlycarriedoutbyISFwarplanespursuingISILfighters.Sources confirmed the airstrikes destroyed the hospital and killed at least 22 individuals(including sixwomenandeight children)andwounded52 (includingeightwomenand17children). A local hospital continued to receive casualties until late eveningon13August.Thespokespersonofthehospitalreportedthat31individualswerekilledand39wounded.In a public statement, the provincial council of Anbar called on the Defense Ministry toaccept responsibility for the attack and to exert cautionwhen targeting areaswith ahighcivilianpopulation.

On2and3August,PeshmergaforcesallegedlydestroyedcivilianhousesandGovernmentbuildingsinDibisdistrict,Kirkuk.UsingIEDsandotherexplosives,Peshmergaforcesalsoallegedlydestroyedcivilian houses in Dor Ray Ula and Dor Ray Thania villages, Mullah-Abdullah sub-district, Kirkuk.Government buildings located in the city centre of the sub-district, including the City Councilbuilding and the Police Department, were also allegedly set on fire. UNAMI/OHCHR could notindependentlyverifytheseallegedattacksbyPeshmergaforces.

On the evening of 20 to 21 August, Turkish airstrikes hit farms in several villages in the Garamountains, including Sapendari, Meezhi, Gargashi, Dearash, andMehidai, in Deralok sub-district,Amedidistrict, inDohuk.Theairstrikes reportedlycaused fires.During that sameevening,Turkishshelling and airstrikes hit villages in Kani Masi sub-district, Amedi district, close to the Turkishborder, burning farms and destroying approximately 200 honey farms. On the night of 21 to 22August, Turkish airstrikes allegedly hit Zharga and Mar Dawa villages, in the foot of the QandilMountains, in Pashdar district in Sulaymaniyah. A PKK clinic was reportedly destroyed, withwoundedPKKmembersinside.SixPKKwereallegedlykilledandanunknownnumberwounded.

After ISF and PMUs reclaimed areas of Baiji, Salah al-Din, from ISIL, on 18-19 October, PMUsallegedlydestroyedandburnedpublicandprivateproperties.Theyalsoreportedlyblewuptheal-FattahSunnimosqueandthetwo-storeyWadhbanmarket in thecitycentreofBaijidistrict.Aftertheallegeddestructionofthemosque,PMUsaskedPoliceandmediatoleaveseveralareasofthe

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district,allegedlybecauseoftheneedtodefusenumerousIEDsinthearea.Itwasfurtherreportedthatmany civilian houseswere destroyed during the fighting between ISF and PMUs against ISIL.PMUsallegedlycontinuedtoburnhousesofresidentsbelievedtobeassociatedwithISIL.SikekandTalAbu Jaradareas inBaijiwere reportedlycompletelydestroyedduring the fighting.Similarly, inSiniya sub-district, almost all civilian houses were reportedly destroyed after the fighting ceased.PMUsallegedlyconsideralltheresidentsofthesub-districtasassociatedwithISIL.

ViolationsandabusescommittedbyunidentifiedactorsUNAMI/OHCHR documented a substantial number of human rights abuses committed byunidentified perpetrators. Circumstantial factors in some cases suggested responsibility but wereinsufficienttowarrantfirmattribution.

Unidentifiedperpetratorscausedatleast7,556civiliancasualties(2,365killedand5,191wounded),whichcomprises69percentofallcasualtiesacrossIraqduringthereportingperiod.Baghdadwasthe worst affected governorate, with 5,843 casualties (1,670 killed and 4,173 wounded) and 92percent of them attributed to unidentified perpetrators. Tactics tended to involve the use of avariety of IEDs, often detonated in public places or where civilians congregate, targeted killings(bombings,shootings,etc.),andabductions.

UnlawfulkillingsUnlawful killings continued to be recorded in significant numbers. Targeted individuals includedparliamentarians,tribalandreligiousleaders,judges,andotherpublicofficials,aswellasmembersofcertainethnicorreligiouscommunities,suchastheSunniArabcommunityinKirkuk.

Throughout the reporting period, somemembers of the Sunni Arab community inKirkukwere targeted by unknown gunmen. In perhaps the most high-profile case, on 20September,unknowngunmenshottheChiefJudgeoftheHawijaDistrictCourtandthreeofhisbodyguardswhilethejudgewasleavinghishomeinKirkukCitycentre.Hewasseriouslywounded and later died in hospital. Other examples include the assassination of theChairman of the Hawija District Council, on 3 September, and the killing of two ArabengineersfromtheNorthOilCompanybyunknowngunmen,on3Augustand3September.

Otherexamplesofkillingsthatappeartobeconnectedwiththevictim’sethnicityorreligionincludethat of three civilians from the Sunni Arab community, who were shot and killed in differentlocations of Muqdadiya district, Diyala, on 7 September. On 5 June, a member of the Christiancommunitywas abducted fromhis home and killed, despite his family having paid a ransom.Hisbodywas later found in theal-Qanatarea,easternBaghdad.Thebodyofanothermemberof theChristiancommunity,whohadbeenabductedon7July,wasfoundintheGarageAmanaarea,alsoineasternBaghdad.

PersonsconnectedwithPMUswerealsothevictimsofunidentifiedgunmen.InBasra,twocivilianswereshotandkilledon25June.TheywerereportedlyformerpoliceofficersinMosulwho,afterthefallofthecitytoISIL,joinedtheAsayibAhlal-Haq.On2August,securityforcesfoundthebodyofareportedAsayibAhlal-HaqmemberinImamAhmedquarterofTuzKhurmatudistrict,Salahal-Din.Theman,whohadbeenabductedbyunidentifiedgunmenon31Julyandhadgunshotwoundstothehead,wasTurkmenShi’a.

Inothercases,thepossiblemotiveforthekillingwasnotapparent.On29June,theremainsofthreemales, aged around 40, were found in the al-Gbasi area, east of Basra. The victims had beenhandcuffed and blind-folded, and died from gunshot wounds to the back and the head. On 24

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August,unidentifiedgunmenkilledtheImamofamosqueinBaladruz,eastofBaquba,Diyala,whilehewasleavingthemosqueaftereveningprayer.

A largenumberof unidentifiedbodieswere recovereddaily during the reportingperiod. Inmanycases,investigationscouldnotrevealtheidentityof,orotherinformationabout,thevictims.Bodiesoftenboregunshotwoundsandweresometimesfoundblindfoldedand/orwiththeirhandsand/orfeet bound. Some also exhibited signs of ill-treatment and torture. UNAMI/OHCHR recorded 551unidentifiedbodiesduringthereportingperiod,mostly inBaghdad(436). Itwasunabletoverifyalargenumberofotherreportsofkillings.

Whilethemajorityofbodiesrecoveredwerethoseofmen,thebodiesofwomenandchildrenwerealsofound.ManywomenwereamongthebodiesthatwererecoveredinBaghdadonadailybasis,thevictimsofunidentifiedkillers.On29June,forexample,thebodiesoftwowomenwerefoundindifferentlocationsinBaghdad,bothhavingdiedofgunshotwounds.On5September,innorthwestBaghdad,thebodiesoftwochildrenwerefound,oneagedsevenandtheother12.Thechildrenhadreportedlybeenabductedbyunidentifiedgunmen.

AbductionsUNAMI/OHCHR continued to receive reports of abductions by unknown perpetrators. Thewhereaboutsandfateofmanyabducteesremainsunknown.

Several abductions occurred in Salah al-Din Governorate, including on 9 July, when unidentifiedgunmen using two pick-up trucks abducted five civilians from Tuz Khurmatu, east of Tikrit. TheabductionhappenedclosetotheheadquartersofthePatrioticUnionofKurdistan,inTuzKhurmatu.All victims were IDPs from the Sunni community in Diyala. Also, on 4 July, unidentified gunmenabducted three truck drivers on the road between Amerli and Tuz Khurmatu, Salah al-Din. TheabducteeswerereportedlyfromSulaimanBekarea,southofTuzKhurmatu.Itwasreportedthataransomwasaskedfortheirrelease.Similarly,on6July,unidentifiedgunmenabductedalocalSahwaleader inHayal-Shurtaarea,Samarracitycentre,Salahal-Din.Accordingtoasource, thegunmenbelonged to PMUs. Also in Salah al-Din, on 27 September, an unknownmilitary force reportedlyarrestedatleast28civilianswhenaconvoyof20pick-uptruckscarryingmaskedgunmeninmilitaryuniformenteredavillageinBaijidistrict,inapre-dawnraid.Atriballeaderwasphysicallyassaultedduringtheincursion.

Unknowngunmenhaveabductedcivilians fromtheSunniArabcommunity inDiyala.Between13and15May,ninecivilians,includingtheImamofaSunnimosque,werereportedlyabductedfromtheSunniArabcommunity indifferent locationsaroundDiyala.Onehassincebeenreleasedafterthepaymentofransombutthewhereaboutsoftheothersremainunknown.

UNAMI/OHCHRalsoreceivedinformationregardingaspikeinabductionsofciviliansinandaroundBaquba district,Diyala, in thewake of the suicide car bomb attacks on 10August, near Baquba,whichclaimedatleast61civilianlives.Multiplesourcesindicatedthaton12August,alargenumberofabductionstargetingtheSunniArabcommunitytookplaceinBaqubadistrict.Onthesameday,17-19bodieswerereportedlyrecoveredfromtheDiyalaRiver.Localsourcesestimatedthatatleast50peoplehavedisappeared.

InBaghdad,on25May, fourcivilianswereabductedbygunmendressed inmilitaryuniformsatacheckpointnearthemilitaryacademy,inCanalStreet,easternBaghdad.AlsoinBaghdad,theActingDeputy JusticeMinister,was abductedbyblack-clad gunmenon9 September, in theBunukarea,northeastern Baghdad. A senior official of the Ministry of Justice and four security guards werereportedlyalsoabducted.Allwereeventuallyreleased.Theperpetratorsremainedunknownatthetimeofreporting.

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BombingsofciviliansandcivilianinfrastructureandpropertyTerrorist attacks directly targeting civilians or conducted irrespective of their presence took placeacross Iraq, impacting people of all ethnic and religious communities. Shopping strips, places ofworship,hotelparkinglots,marketsandpublicswimmingpoolswereamongplacestargeted.Whereperpetratedbyparties to theconflict, such targetedor indiscriminateattacksmayamount towarcrimesorcrimesagainsthumanity.

Improvisedexplosivedevices

A largenumberof IED-related civilian casualtieswere recorded inBaghdad,where such incidentsoccurredonadailybasis.Examplesincludeanattackon2May,usingaVBIEDnearacrowdedice-cream shop in Karrada, central Baghdad, which killed 12 civilians and wounded more than 40,includingtwopolicemen.On5May,anattackusingaVBIEDnearal-KhudhairiSunnimosqueandtheheadquarters of PMU Kata’ib Imam Ali, in Arasat area, central Baghdad, killed two civilians andwoundedsix.On12May,anindividualwearingavestofexplosivestargetedShi’apilgrimsincentralBaghdad,killingeightciviliansandwounding22.Onthenightof28May,anattackwascarriedoutusingaVBIED in theparking lotof theBabylonWarwickHotel inKarrada, centralBaghdad,killingeightciviliansandwounding15.Afewminuteslater,aVBIEDwasdetonatedintheparkinglotoftheCristalGrandIshtarHotel,centralBaghdad,killingfourciviliansandwoundingatleastsix.

On7July,anIEDattackinArabJbour,southernBaghdad,killedfiveIraqiPoliceofficers,whileon5AugusttwoattacksemployingVBIEDsoccurredindifferentpartofSadrCity,easternBaghdad,killingat least eight civilians and wounding at least 20. On 21 July, two attacks occurred in easternBaghdad,oneusingaVBIEDthatkilledsevenciviliansandwoundedthree,andanothercarriedoutbyanindividualwearinganexplosivevest,thatkilled22civiliansandwounded32.

AttacksusingIEDsalsooccurredinotherpartsofIraq,killingnumerousciviliansandinjuringmore.InDiyala,on6June,anattackbyanindividualdrivingavehicleladenwithexplosivesatasecuritycheckpoint,attheentrancetoBaladruz,nearalocalmarket,killedat least11civiliansandISFandwounded at least 14. On 16 June, an IEDwas detonatedwhile aminibus carrying femalemiddleschool students was passing in Abu-Saida sub-district, northeast of Baquba. The driver and fourstudentswere killedand six studentswerewounded in the incident.On23 June, anattackbyanindividualwearinganexplosivevesttargetedagatheringofmembersoftheal-NadawiSunnitribe,in Haitham Aliwy village, Baladruz area, killing 14 of them and wounding 30. Some local mediareports indicated that the attack also involved the use of a VBIED but sources contacted byUNAMI/OHCHRwerenotabletoconfirmthis.

In Salah al-Din, on 25 July, a complex attack targeted a public swimming pool in Tuz Khurmatudistrict,killingeightcivilians, includingonechild,andwounding54, includingat leastfivechildren,many of them seriously. The attacker first detonated a VBIED from a distance and once peoplegatheredatthescenetoattendtothecasualties,approachedthecrowdanddetonatedanexplosivebelt.

On 22October, an attack by an individual driving a vehicle ladenwith explosives near Shuhada’amosque, in the Askari area of Tuz Khurmatu district, targeted a gathering of civilianscommemoratingAshura, killing two (oneSunniKurdandoneSunniArab) andwounding24 (Shi’aand Sunni Turkmen, Shi’a and Sunni Arabs, and Sunni Kurds). ISIL claimed responsibility for theattack on social media, also identifying the suicide attacker. On 23 October, security forcesreportedly found the bodies of two males with gunshot wounds, later determined to be PMUmembers,reportedlykilledbymistakeduringgunfirethatoccurredaftertheincident.

ShellingUnattributedshellingbetweenISFandarmedgroupswasanothercauseofciviliancasualties.

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InBaghdad,on12May,shellingfromunidentifiedactorskilledtwociviliansandwoundedeight inBob al-Sham, southwestern Baghdad.On 15May, shelling killed one civilian andwounded five inArab Jbour, southern Baghdad. On 30 May, shelling reportedly hit a village in the Doura areas,southernBaghdad,killingacivilianandwoundingthree.On16June,shellingreportedlyhitTajiarea,northernBaghdad,killingacivilianandwoundingthree.Reportswerealsoreceivedthaton19June,shellingkilledacivilianandwoundedseveninSabeaal-Boor,northernBaghdad.

On16August,InSalahal-Din,shellinghittheAlbuTu’maareasouthofBaiji,woundingfourcivilians.On 21 September, shelling reportedly hit two different areas inside al-Alam sub-district, east ofTikrit.Thefirstincidentkilledonecivilianandthesecondinjuredonecivilian.

Itwas reported thaton14May, shellingoccurredona residential area in centralRamadi,Anbar,killing one civilian and wounding two. UNAMI/OHCHR also received information from multiplesourcesthatshellingkilledfiveciviliansandwounded11intheKhaldiyaareaofAnbarbetween14and16September.

In Diyala, on 20 July, shelling reportedly struck near a playground in the Sunni Arab HidedcommunityofHibhib sub-district, inKhalisdistrict,westofBaquba, killingeight andwounding20residents of the area, including two children. Also in Diyala, on 22 July, multiple mortars struckvillages on the outskirts of Khan Bani Saad sub-district, reportedly causing a number of civiliancasualties.Casualtynumbers reported in themedia ranged fromzero to threepersonskilled,andbetweensixand15wounded.OnesourcereportedtoUNAMI/OHCHRthat10personswerekilledand20wounded.

MassgravesMassgraveshavebeendiscoveredinareasofgovernoratesreclaimedbyISFandassociatedforcesfromISILcontrol, includinginNinewaandSalahal-DinGovernorates.MassgravesfromtheeraofSaddam Hussein were also found in Basra and Kirkuk Governorates. The Government of Iraq isattempting to conduct forensic and judicial investigations into select gravesites, despite gaps inforensiccapacity.Allpartiestoaconflicthaveanobligationtoaccountformissingpersonsandtoprovidetheirfamilymemberswithanyinformationtheyhaveregardingtheirfate,aswellastomarkthelocationofgraves.

Inmostcases,basicinformationrelatingtogravesandbodiesisyettobeestablished.Thisincludeswhen the bodies were buried, the identity of bodies (including age, sex, ethnicity, religion, andcombatantstatus)andthecircumstancesinwhichtheindividualsdiedorwerekilled.Theidentityofperpetratorsisinmanycasesunclear.Mostgravesarebelievedtocontainthebodiesofciviliansandmembers of ISF and associated forces killed and buried by ISIL and UNAMI/OHCHR continues tofollowuponthesereports.

A mass grave was found by residents in western Ninewa towards the end of May. One reportindicatedthattheremainsof60peoplewerefoundinagraveinBadoush,westofMosul,andtworeports stated that a grave containing the remains of 80 people was found in al-Jadaa village,western Ninewa. UNAMI/OHCHR has not been able to clarify whether these reports refer to thesamegrave.SomesourcesindicatedthatthegravemaycontainmembersoftheYezidicommunity.

On22 June,amassgravewas reportedlydiscovered inal-Eiadhiaarea,westofMosul, reportedlycontainingupto70bodieswithidentificationdocuments.Theremainswerereportedlytransferredforforensicexamination.UNAMI/OHCHRcouldnotverifythisreport.

It was reported that PMUs found two mass graves containing the bodies of Iraqi soldiers nearSamarra,Salahal-Din,on30June.PMUsreportedthatthetwomassgravescontainedtheremainsof Iraqi soldiers fromCampSpeicherwhowerekilledby ISIL in June2014 in thewestofSamarra,nearMuthanamilitarycompound,withinAnbarOperationsSector.Atthetimeofthediscoveryof

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thegraves,itwasreportedthattherewasongoingcoordinationbetweentheLegalMedicalInstituteandMinistryofHumanRightstoopenthegravesandidentifytheremains.40

On 3 October, Kurdish Security Forces discovered a mass grave between Tobzawa and Yaichyvillages, southwestofKirkuk. Sources indicate that thegraveheldbetween12and36bodiesandwas believed to contain victims of the former regime. TheMinistry of Martyrs and Anfal of theKurdistanRegionGovernmentassistedinexcavatingthegraveandhaverecoveredpiecesofmilitaryuniformsandKurdish-stylecivilianclothing,reportedlybothfemaleandmale,aswellaschildren’sclothing,intheareaaroundthegrave.

AlocalgovernmentsourceinformedUNAMI/OHCHRthat,on28June,IraqiforensicteamsinBasradiscovered amass grave containing 377 corpses, includingwomen and children, apparently killedduring the 1991 Shi’a uprisings against Saddam Hussein in the east of Basra. The mass grave isreportedly the second largestmass grave found in southern Iraq. The first stageof exhuming thebodieshasbegun.

ConclusionsandrecommendationsTheimpactoftheongoingconflictandactsofterrorismonciviliansremainssevereandextensive.SinceJanuary2014,actsofviolencehavekilledorwoundedtensofthousandsofciviliansandhavedisplacedover3millionIraqis.

Manydisplacedpersonsare living inunder-resourcedlocations inpoorconditions,andaresubjectto violence and abuse. Some have faced Government restrictions on their ability to access safeareas.Blanket restrictionshavealsobeen imposedwithin areasofdisplacement.Many IDPshaveexperienced threats, harassment and intimidation, includingbeing roundedup in police raids andarbitrarily arrested by security forces onmere suspicion of terrorismor other seemingly spuriouspretext. Those who have returned to their areas of origin, as territory is retaken from ISIL, areencounteringcontinuinginsecurity,large-scaledestructionofcivilianinfrastructure,severelylimitedaccesstobasicservices,booby-trapsandexplosiveremnantsofwar,andthreatsandintimidationatthehandsofGovernment-associatedmilitia.

40 On 11 July, a new 23-minute video was released by ISIL containing images, including some previouslyreleasedsequences,depictingtheJune2014fallofTikritCityandmassacreofcapturedpredominatelyShi’aISF near Camp Speicher military base on 14 June. The video shows scenes from several now well-knownlocations in the area around the base and in Tikrit city, including within the Presidential Palaces complex.Severaloftheselocationshavebeenthefocusofongoingexhumationprocesses.Thenarrationofthevideooftenreferstocapturedsoldiersas“cattle”ofthe“armyoftherejecters”.Itcontainsseveralimagesofmencrowdedintothebackoflargetrucks,otherpreviouslyreleasedimagesshowmenincivilianclothingbeingledinasinglefile,bentover,withtheirarmsontheshouldersofthemaninfrontortiedtogether.Severalscenesdepictmentiedupandlyingontheground,sometimesinwhatappeartobepre-dugshallowgraves.Multipleshots show prisoners pleading for their lives. Several lengthy, graphic depictions of executions are shown,includingmultiplearmedmenshootingatlargegroupsofmenlyingontheground.Hundredsofmenincivilianclothing are shown lying in a field, dead, with their hands tied behind their backs. The video also showspreviouswidelyviewed imagesofmen incivilianclothingbeingheldonaconcrete ledgeonthesideof theTigrisRiver,shotandthenpushedintothewater.Imagesofmultiplebodiesfloatinginredwaterareshown.Attheendofthevideo,abulldozerisalsoshownatnightmovingpilesofbodies.Throughoutthevideomostperpetrators have their faces covered.At the timeof reporting, links to the videohadbeen removed fromknownsites.Thevideo’sreleaseoccurredjustfourdayssubsequenttothesentencingof24mentodeathbythe Iraqi Central Criminal Court in connection with the Speichermassacre. The trial lasted four hours andallegations have arisen that confessions put in evidencewere obtained under duress.On 22 June the IraqiMinistryofHumanRightsissuedastatementthat1,697weremissingfromtheeventssurroundingtheCampSpeichermassacre.On2 June, theMinistryofHumanRightsannounced that forensic teamsworking in theareaofthePresidentialPalacesinTikrithadrecovered597bodiesinconnectionwiththemassacre.

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UNAMI/OHCHR isextremelyconcernedbythesituationofcivilians inareasunder ISILcontrol. ISILcontinues to deliberately target ethnic and religious communities through a range of abuses andcrimes as part of its policy of suppression, expulsionor eliminationof those communities, and toemploy sexual violence as a tactic of war. Of particular concern are the potentially thousands ofYezidi women and children (and those from some other ethnic and religious communities) whoremaininISILcaptivity.

Individuals associatedwith theGovernment of Iraq, including former candidates for public office,employees and former employees of IHEC and other institutions, and those suspected of passinginformation to Government and associated forces, were frequently targeted by ISIL. This wasespeciallyprevalentinNinewagovernorate.

ISILcontinuestopunishandkillindividualswhorefusetoabidebyitscodeofbehaviourorwhomitperceives are opposed to its ideology. Journalists and homosexuals were targeted for killing;journalistswereshot,thoseaccusedofbeinghomosexualwerethrownfromthetopsofbuildings.ManycasesinvolvedkillingsfollowinghearingsbyISILself-appointedcourts.

ISIL continues todeliberately target civilians and civilian infrastructure in its campaignof violenceand terrorism and employed tactics, such as IEDs and possibly other methods, which were usedindiscriminatelyordirectlytargetingcivilians.

ISILhasalsokilledmembersof itsowngroupwhohaverefusedtofightandcapturedmembersofGovernmentandassociatedforces.

These acts constitute violations of Iraqi and international law, and may amount to war crimes,crimesagainsthumanity,andpossiblygenocide.

ISFandassociatedforcescontinuetocarryoutmilitaryoperations,includingairstrikes,thatattimesmayhave violated theprinciples of distinction andproportionality, ormayhavebeen carriedoutirrespectiveoftheobligationtotakeallfeasibleprecautionstoprotectciviliansfromtheeffectsofattacks. The extent of the Government’s command and control over associated forces remainsunclear. Some associated forces have reportedly conducted attacks and reprisals against civiliansfromcommunitiesperceivedtosupportISIL.

Iraqiciviliansalsocontinuetobekilledandwounded,andinfrastructuredamagedanddestroyed,inactsofviolenceandterrorismperpetratedbyunidentifiedperpetrators.

Asamatterofurgency,UNAMI/OHCHRrecommendsthefollowing:Toallpartiestotheconflict:

1. Allpartiestotheongoingnon-internationalarmedconflictmuststrictlycomplywithapplicableinternational humanitarian law and respect international human rights law. They must take allfeasible precautions to protect civilians from the effects of hostilities, and take all necessarymeasures to respect, protect and meet the basic needs of the civilian population, in particularwomenandchildren.

2. Allactsofviolenceorabusecommittedagainstcivilians inviolationofapplicable internationalhumanitarianlawandhumanrightslawmustceaseimmediately.

3. All parties to the armed conflict and other relevant actors must refrain from, and take thenecessary measures to prevent and respond to, the displacement of the civilian population,includingbyallowingsafepassageandprovidingsafetyguaranteesforhumanitarianactorstoreachdisplacedpopulationsandpopulationsaffectedbytheconflict,andtoensuredurablesolutionsforalldisplacedpopulations.

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4. Allpartiesmustensurethatciviliansareprotected,thattheyhaveunhinderedaccesstomedicalfacilities and humanitarian assistance, and that they are able to leave areas affected by violencesafelyandwithdignity.

5. Allpartiesmustagreetoandfacilitatereliefoperationsthatarehumanitarianand impartial incharacter, and to allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of relief consignments,equipmentandpersonnel.Theyshouldalsorespectandprotecthumanitarianworkersandfacilities.

TotheGovernmentofIraq:

1. Ensure that all associated armed forces fighting against ISIL are operating under theGovernment’scommandandcontrol,andensureaccountabilityfortheiractions.

2. Ensurethatallciviliansdisplacedfromtheirhomesareadmitted,withoutunduehindrance,toareasofsafetywheretheycanaccessbasichumanitarianservices.

3. ISF and associated forces must take steps to ensure full compliance with the principles ofdistinctionandproportionalityandtheobligationtotakeallfeasibleprecautionstoprotectcivilianswhencarryingoutmilitaryoperations.

4. Ensurethatarrestsofindividualsinconnectionwiththeongoingconflictarecarriedoutonlegalgrounds only and supported by credible and sufficient evidence, and that all due process rightsguaranteedbytheConstitutionofIraqandinternationallawarefullyrespected.

5. Ensure that, as soon as practicably possible after liberation of areas from ISIL control,responsibilityforlawandorderisrestoredtociviliancontrol,andthatmeasuresaretakentoensurethe human rights and basic humanitarian needs of civilians residing in those areas or voluntarilyreturningaremet.

6. Ensure that survivors of human rights violations, particularly of sexual and gender-basedviolence,receiveadequatesupport,includingpsycho-socialsupportandmedicalcare.

7. Ensure the protection ofmass graves, alongwith appropriate care andmeasures to excavatesuch sites and exhume and identify the mortal remains, and to preserve evidence of crimescommitted;includinganythatmayleadtotheidentificationofperpetrators.Conductindependent,public coronial inquiries into each mass grave, to identify the victims, collect evidence ofwrongdoing, and fully investigate and determine the circumstances that led to the deaths of theindividualsconcerned;ensurethatfamilymembersofvictimsandmissingpersonsareprovidedwithallavailableinformationandadequateandtimelyfinancial,materialandotherassistance.

8. Investigate effectively, promptly, thoroughly, and impartially any allegations of violations orabuses of international human rights law and violations of international humanitarian law and,whereappropriate,prosecutethosewhoareresponsible forsuchacts.Ensurethat the findingsofsuchinvestigationsaremadepublic.

9. Ensure the rightsof all victimsor their relatives toaneffective remedy, including the right toequalandeffectiveaccess to justiceandadequate,effective,andprompt reparation for theharmsuffered.

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

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11. AccedetotheRomeStatuteof the InternationalCriminalCourt.Asan immediatestep,accepttheexerciseof theCourt’s jurisdictionwith respect to the specific situation facedby the country,pursuanttoArticle12(3)oftheRomeStatute.

Totheinternationalcommunity:

12. The international community, including the United Nations Security Council and the HumanRightsCouncil, shouldcontinue toclosely follow thesituation in Iraqwithaview toensuring thatperpetratorsofgrossviolationsandabusesofhumanrightsandseriousviolationsof internationalhumanitarianlawareheldaccountable.

13. The internationalcommunityshouldprovideallmaterialandothersupportnecessarytoassisttheGovernmentof Iraqaddress the securityandhumanitarianneedsofpersonsdisplacedby theongoing armed conflict and those returning to their homes in full compliance with humanitarianprinciples.

14. Provide the Government of Iraqwith all necessary assistance in its identification, excavation,andinvestigationofmassgraves.

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Annex1:GlossaryAAH

BBIED

Asa’ibAhlal-Haqmilitia

Body-borneimprovisedexplosivedevice

CCCI CentralCriminalCourtofIraq

IED Improvisedexplosivedevice

IDP Internallydisplacedperson

IHEC

IOM

IndependentHighElectoralCommission

InternationalOrganizationforMigration

ISF IraqiSecurityForces

ISIL IslamicStateinIraqandtheLevant

KR-I KurdistanRegionofIraq

OCHA OfficefortheCoordinationofHumanitarianAffairs

OHCHR OfficeoftheUnitedNationsHighCommissionerforHumanRights

PKK

PMU

PartiyaKarkerenKurdistane/KurdishWorkers’Party

PopularMobilizationUnits

SVBIED Suicidevehicle-borneimprovisedexplosivedevice

UN UnitedNations

UNAMI UnitedNationsAssistanceMissionforIraq

UNHCR UnitedNationsHighCommissionerforRefugees

VBIED Vehicle-borneimprovisedexplosivedevice

YPG YekîneyênParastinaGel

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UNAMI/OHCHR Baghdad, Iraq

www.uniraq.org/www.ohchr.org

Report on the Protection of Civilians in the Armed Conflict in Iraq:

1 May –31 October 2015