The head of a UN team investigating atrocities in Iraq has announced that it has found “clear and compelling evidence” that Islamic State extremists committed genocide against the Yazidi minority in 2014 and said the militant group successfully developed chemical weapons and used mustard gas.
Karim Khan on Monday told the Security Council the team also concluded war crimes were committed by the Islamic State group against predominantly Shiite unarmed cadets and personnel from the Tikrit Air Academy who were captured, tortured and subjected to mass execution in June 2014.
He said an Islamic State video released in July 2015 showing the killings “constitutes a direct and public incitement to commit genocide against Shia Muslims”.
The Security Council voted unanimously in September 2017 to ask the UN to establish an investigative team to help Iraq preserve evidence.
