Over 300 Civilians Killed Since Start of West Mosul Operation

Over 300 civilians have been killed since last month in an offensive against the Islamic State group in western Mosul, the UN said Tuesday, adding the toll could exceed 400 if fresh killings are verified. “According to information verified by the UN Human Rights Office and the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq, at least 307 … Read more

UN Urges Probe of DR Congo Violence

The UN’s top rights official on Wednesday called for a high-level investigation into abuses committed against civilians in the violence-wracked Democratic Republic of Congo following the discovery of mass graves. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein praised the DR Congo government for quickly investigating the killings and other severe human rights violations in the isolated Kasai and … Read more

UN Concerned At ‘serious’ Abuses, Torture In Sri Lanka

The UN on Friday warned that a range of serious abuses, including torture, appear to remain widespread in Sri Lanka and criticised the country’s slow progress in addressing wartime crimes. “A number of serious human rights violations… are reportedly continuing to occur in Sri Lanka, including the harassment or surveillance of human rights defenders and … Read more

UN Rights Chief Blames DR Congo Govt Over Unrest

Geneva (AFP) – The UN rights chief on Thursday directed blame at DR Congo’s government for surging political tensions that sparked deadly clashes in the capital Kinshasa this week. “The authorities need to pull back from their extremely confrontational position and build bridges with the opposition,” Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said in a statement. The … Read more