Islamic State stockpiling chemicals, executing dozens

Islamic State last week forcibly relocated civilians from Hamam al-Alil to Mosul’s airport, said Ravina Shamdasani, a spokeswoman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights.

“Most Daesh leaders in both villages were killed amid fierce clashes”, the officer added without giving a figure about potential casualties among Iraqi forces.

“ISIS attacks using toxic chemicals show a brutal disregard for human life and the laws of war…”

Amnesty gathered evidence of the alleged killings on a visit to villages south of Mosul in the al-Shura and al-Qayyara sub-districts.

Troops and volunteer fighters were advancing on two villages held by the Takfiri ISIL group near the ancient site some 30 kilometers (20 miles) south of Mosul, the Joint Operations Command said.

Earlier in the month, the Iraqi army made a significant progress at the eastern side of Mosul, and managed to seize six districts.

The UN fears for the safety of up to 1.5 million civilians living in Mosul, after reports that thousands were being rounded up to be used as human shields.

Special forces control the Zahra neighbourhood of the city and have taken at least half of the Aden area after establishing a foothold in a small slice of territory in the east of Mosul.

Relatives said they did not know where most of the men were being held and had not been able to contact any of them while in detention, according to the report.

Iraqi security forces are trying to loosen Islamic State’s grip on Mosul.

Operations to retake IS-held Mosul continue, led by the Iraqi Army and Kurdish Peshmerga forces, and supported by airstrikes conducted by a coalition of global states led by the United States, began on October 17.

USA coalition forces have launched major offensives against the terror group, driving them from most of their strongholds in the Middle East. Mosul and Raqqa in Syria are the only two that remain in ISIS’s hands. “They are kept in identified facilities”, Dindar Zebari told Reuters news agency.

The fighting came “after a few days of quiet”, he said.

In a strike on November 20, five civilians were killed near Dayr Az Zawr, Syria after they entered the target area after the aircraft released its weapons.