ISIS crimes against Yazidis ‘truly’ constitute genocide : UNITAD chief

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Evidence has established that the Islamic State (ISIS) crimes against the Yazidi ethnoreligious minority "truly" constitute genocide, the head of the UN team tasked with investigating ISIS crimes told the UN on Monday.

“Based upon independent and impartial investigations complying with international standards and UN best practice, there is clear and convincing evidence that the crimes against the Yazidi people truly constituted genocide,” Karim Khan, head of the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Daesh/ISIL (UNITAD) told the security council. 

According to the UNITAD chief, investigations have also shown that ISIS incited genocide against Shia Muslims. 

"The team has concluded that ISIL attacks on Shia personnel from Tikrit Air Academy constitute the war crimes of murder, torture, cruel treatment and outrages on personal dignity. Investigations have also concluded that ISIL incited genocide against Shia Muslims,” Khan said.

New investigations indicate that ISIS ran a large chemical weapons program, and tested biological and chemical agents on its prisoners, he added. 

ISIS swept across Iraq and Syria in the summer of 2014.

Minority groups, including Yazidis, Shabaks and Christians, particularly suffered at the hands of the terror group. 

More than 6,000 Yazidis kidnapped when ISIS attacked their heartland of Shingal in Nineveh province, according to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Office for Rescuing Kidnapped Yazidis. Over 2,000 remain missing. 

Khan expressed his support for the Iraqi and Kurdistan Region parliaments in passing laws that prosecute ISIS members and establish a court with jurisdiction over international crimes committed by ISIS.

Iraq’s representative to the United Nations, Muhammad Hussein Bahr al-Ulum, participated in the session, and stated that Iraq demands UNITAD evidence to be given to Iraq, as it is the country most affected by ISIS crimes. 

"Iraq is looking forward to see the results of the investigations and evidence collected by the team and store them in Iraq,” he said.