UN Report Slams IS 'War Crimes' In Iraq

A UN report says Islamic State (IS) militants and other armed groups have committed a "staggering" number of gross human rights violations and "acts of violence" in northern Iraq that could amount to war crimes.

A joint report by the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights released on October 2 lists serious violations of international law and gross abuses from July 6 to September 10.

The offenses includes mass executions, the abduction of women and girls as sex slaves, and using children as fighters.

The report also said Iraqi government air strikes had caused "significant" civilian deaths and injuries, particularly in western Anbar Province.

It said nearly 10,000 people were killed in Iraq by Islamists in September and some 1.8 million Iraqis fled their homes.