GENEVA (AA)
UN's newly appointed human rights chief described the crisis in Iraq and Syria as "increasingly conjoined conflicts," urging the international community to protect civilians from the terrorist attacks.
"From a human rights perspective, it is clear that the immediate and urgent priority of the international community should be to halt the increasingly conjoined conflicts in Iraq and Syria," said Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein at the 27th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
"In particular, dedicated efforts are urgently needed to protect religious and ethnic groups, children – who are at risk of forcible recruitment and sexual violence – and women, who have been the targets of severe restrictions."
He lashed out at the killings of hundreds of innocent people including journalists by the Islamic State militants, who he described as "takfiris," -- religious extremists who consider acts of violence as legitimate.
"The Takfiris who recently murdered James Foley and hundreds of other defenceless victims in Iraq and Syria – do they believe they are acting courageously? Barbarically slaughtering captives? What virtue are they demonstrating exactly?" he said.
The chaos created by militants with the Islamic State -- formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant -- has so far displaced an estimated 1.2 million Iraqis from their homes. The group has mainly targeted Shia Muslims, Turkmens, Ezidis, and Christians.
The Iraqi army had failed to respond to a sudden offensive by the IS in June, which led the group to take control of large swathes of land in the country, including Mosul province in the north. The United States has recently conducted airstrikes against the group to support Kurdish defense forces, known as peshmerga, and the Iraqi army.
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