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.
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.
"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.
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.
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