Civilian children stand next to a burnt vehicle during clashes between Iraqi security forces and al Qaeda-linked Islamic State (IS) in the northern Iraq city of Mosul,
Baghdad:
Iraq's security forces and allied Shiite militias executed at least 255 Sunni prisoners as they fled a lightning jihadist-led advance last month, Human Rights Watch said on Friday.
"Iraqi security forces and militias affiliated with the government appear to have unlawfully executed at least 255 prisoners... since June 9," the watchdog said in a statement.
"The mass extrajudicial killings may be evidence of war crimes or crimes against humanity," the New York-based HRW said.
It said the killings appeared to have been carried out in revenge for the onslaught led by what was still known last month as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
The group, which has since rebranded itself as the Islamic State (IS), is a Sunni extremist organisation which last month overran large swathes of Iraq, including second city Mosul, and has since declared a "caliphate" straddling the border with Syria.
"Gunning down prisoners is an outrageous violation of international law," said HRW's deputy Middle East director, Joe Stork.
"Iraqi security forces and militias affiliated with the government appear to have unlawfully executed at least 255 prisoners... since June 9," the watchdog said in a statement.
"The mass extrajudicial killings may be evidence of war crimes or crimes against humanity," the New York-based HRW said.
It said the killings appeared to have been carried out in revenge for the onslaught led by what was still known last month as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
The group, which has since rebranded itself as the Islamic State (IS), is a Sunni extremist organisation which last month overran large swathes of Iraq, including second city Mosul, and has since declared a "caliphate" straddling the border with Syria.
"Gunning down prisoners is an outrageous violation of international law," said HRW's deputy Middle East director, Joe Stork.
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