At least 1,075 killed in Iraq during June: UNJune 24, 2014 - 15:25 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - At least 1,075 people - mostly civilians - have been killed in Iraq during June, UN monitors say, according to BBC News. The UN human rights team in Iraq reports at least 757 civilians died in Nineveh, Diyala and Salahuddin provinces between June 5 and 22. It adds that at least another 318 people were killed during the same time in Baghdad and areas in southern Iraq. UN spokesman Rupert Colville said the figure "should be viewed very much as a minimum". He added that it included some verified summary executions and extra-judicial killings of civilians, police officers and soldiers who had stopped fighting. This month has seen insurgents, spearheaded by Islamists fighting under the banner of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), overrunning a swathe of territory in the north and west including the second-biggest city, Mosul. In its report on Iraqi deaths in June, the UN cites the examples of 15 Shia civilians who were abducted from the village of Pirwajili in Salahuddin province and killed, and reports that a further 45 unidentified bodies were found on the banks of the Tigris river. In addition, UN human rights officers in Iraq have confirmed reports of summary executions carried out by Iraqi security forces as they withdrew from the Nineveh Operations Command HQ in the city of Mosul as it was overrun by Isis fighters. In this case, grenades were reportedly thrown into rooms filled with detainees, killing at least 10 and injuring another 14. Related links: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |