U.N. Urges Iraq and Allies to Rethink Tactics as Airstrikes Kill Civilians
e precautions to prevent civilian deaths, in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law." In another incident, the United Nations said aircraft
struck a house where Islamic State fighters were firing rocket-propelled grenades at Iraqi security forces. that failed to take adequat
The United Nations said it had received reports in the past week
that Islamic State fighters had forced scores of civilian families to move to strategic locations in west Mosul to serve as human shields, while in other areas the militants forced families to stay in houses on the battle lines as Iraqi troops advanced.
In one especially deadly incident, a strike against Islamic State snipers by Iraqi or coalition aircraft on March 17
hit a house where the militants had forced 140 civilians to gather as human shields, the United Nations reported.
By NICK CUMMING-BRUCEMARCH 28, 2017
GENEVA — Airstrikes against Islamic State fighters are killing so many civilians
that Iraq and its American-led coalition of allies should reconsider their tactics, the top human rights official at the United Nations said on Tuesday.
The United Nations reported that shelling, sniper fire
and bombs planted in vehicles and elsewhere had killed at least 95 civilians in several west Mosul neighborhoods between March 23 and March 26.