Islamic State kills 40 near Mosul, tries to move 25,000 to use as shields, UN says

Geneva: Islamic State militants killed 40 former members of the Iraqi Security Forces near Mosul on Saturday and threw their bodies in the Tigris river, UN human rights spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said on Tuesday, citing reports from the field.

IS also tried to transport about 25,000 civilians from Hammam al-Alil, a town south of Mosul, on trucks and minibuses during the hours of darkness early on Monday, probably for use as human shields in defence of IS positions, she said.

Most of the trucks turned back under pressure from patrolling aircraft, but some buses did reach Abusaif, 15 km north of Hammam al-Alil, she said.