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UN cites possible war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide by Islamic State group

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Hanny Megally, chief of the Asia, Pacific, Middle East and North Africa Branch of the UN Human Rights Office, speaks during a press conference about the Human Rights report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the human rights situation in Iraq in the light of abuses committed by the so-called Islamic State group and associated groups in Iraq and the Levant, at the European headquarters of the United Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, March 19, 2015. (AP Photo/Keystone,Martial Trezzini) (The Associated Press)

Hanny Megally, chief of the Asia, Pacific, Middle East and North Africa Branch of the UN Human Rights Office, speaks during a press conference about the Human Rights report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the human rights situation in Iraq in the light of abuses committed by the so-called Islamic State group and associated groups in Iraq and the Levant, at the European headquarters of the United Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, March 19, 2015. (AP Photo/Keystone,Martial Trezzini) (The Associated Press)

Hanny Megally, chief of the Asia, Pacific, Middle East and North Africa Branch of the UN Human Rights Office, speaks during a press conference about the Human Rights report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the human rights situation in Iraq in the light of abuses committed by the so-called Islamic State group and associated groups in Iraq and the Levant, at the European headquarters of the United Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, March 19, 2015. (AP Photo/Keystone,Martial Trezzini) (The Associated Press)

The United Nations says Islamic State militants are suspected of committing war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

In a report released Thursday, the UN Human Rights Office documents testimonies from 100 people who survived attacks by the militant group in Iraq between June 2014 and February 2015.

The report documents abuses committed by the Sunni militants including killings, torture, rape and sexual slavery, forced religious conversions and the conscription of children.

The UN report also details cases of killings, torture and abductions allegedly carried out by Iraqi security forces and Shiite militias battling the Islamic State militants.

The UN is calling on the Iraqi government to ensure that all accusations are investigated in line with international human rights standards and to publicize the results of the investigations.