At least 550 families forced to walk to Mosul by ISIL fighters as Iraqi forces intensify offensive.
ISIL fighters may be preparing to use civilians as human shields - or simply kill them - rather than let them be liberated in an Iraqi offensive to retake Mosul, according to the UN human rights chief.
Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said his office had reports that civilians were being held close to Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant positions in Mosul, possibly as a buffer against advancing Iraqi forces.
ISIL fighters may be preparing to use civilians as human shields - or simply kill them - rather than let them be liberated in an Iraqi offensive to retake Mosul, according to the UN human rights chief.
Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said his office had reports that civilians were being held close to Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant positions in Mosul, possibly as a buffer against advancing Iraqi forces.