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          UN: Nearly 19,000 Iraqi Civilians Killed Since January 2014

   by Chris Hannas

   The[1] United Nations said Tuesday nearly 19,000 people were killed in
   Iraq between January 2014 and October of last year, while more than 3
   million left their homes.

   The rise in violence coincided with the Islamic State group's seizing
   of large areas in northern and western Iraq, which drew international
   attention in mid-2014, and the beginning of U.S. airstrikes targeting
   the militants in August of that year.

   "Even the obscene casualty figures fail to accurately reflect exactly
   how terribly civilians are suffering in Iraq," said U.N. rights chief
   Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein. "The figures capture those who were killed or
   maimed by overt violence, but countless others have died from the lack
   of access to basic food, water or medical care."

   The report says the militants are believed to be holding 3,500 sexual
   slaves, mostly from the Yazidi minority, and continue to carry out
   "systemic and widespread violations and abuses of international human
   rights law." It also notes complaints about rights abuses by
   pro-government forces.

   ''During the 22-month period, an additional 8,000 Iraqi security forces
   were killed, according to U.N. data.

   Numbers could be too low

   Tuesday's report says 3,855 of the civilian deaths came between May and
   October of last year. That toll is half the number of deaths during the
   same period in 2014, reflecting the violent way in which Islamic State
   first took control of Iraqi towns and cities. The report warns that
   those numbers may be far too low due to difficulties in verifying
   reports.

   ''Since October, the U.N. mission in Iraq has reported another 1,000
   civilian deaths.

   U.N. envoy for Iraq Jan Kubis said despite gains by Iraqi forces,
   Islamic State fighters continue to kill and displace civilians and
   "cause untold suffering." He called on the international community to
   support the Iraqi government in stabilizing and reconstructing areas
   reclaimed from the militants so that civilians can return home and
   reestablish their communities.

   Using civilians as shields
   The report says Islamic State is basing fighters in civilian areas in
   order to use them as shields and is directly targeting civilians with
   suicide bombings.

   It also says the militants killed and abducted people they perceived to
   oppose Islamic State ideology or have connections with the government,
   while also singling out people based on their ethnicity or religion.

   "The impact of the ongoing conflict and acts of terrorism on civilians
   remains severe and extensive," the report says.

   The U.N.'s humanitarian office says 10 million Iraqis -- nearly a third
   of the country's population -- will need aid this year.
     __________________________________________________________________

   [2]http://www.voanews.com/content/un-nearly-19000-iraqi-civilians-kille
   d-since-january-2014/3152389.html

References

   1. http://ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=16964&LangID=E
   2. http://www.voanews.com/content/un-nearly-19000-iraqi-civilians-killed-since-january-2014/3152389.html