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Iraq conflict: Militants 'may have committed war crimes', says UN Iraq conflict: US deploys 275 'military personnel'
(about 4 hours later)
Sunni insurgents in northern Iraq have carried out summary executions of hundreds of captured soldiers, the UN's human rights chief says. Up to 275 US "military personnel" are being sent to Iraq to provide security for the US embassy in Baghdad and other personnel, the White House says.
The systematic killings "almost certainly amounted to war crimes," according to Navi Pillay. It says that the personnel will assist the temporary relocation of some staff from the US embassy in Baghdad.
Her remarks came as the militants, led by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), were reported to have seized the strategic city of Tal Afar. Fighters from the militant Sunni group ISIS have seized a number of Iraqi towns and cities in the past week.
Separately the US says it is willing to discuss with Iran what measures can halt the advance of ISIS rebels.
However correspondents say that American officials have been quick to dismiss reports of military collaboration.
Speaking on Monday to Yahoo News, Secretary of State John Kerry said that Washington would "not rule out anything that would be constructive" while emphasising that any liaison with Iran would be conducted on a "step-by-step" basis.
The UN says that Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) rebels have carried out hundreds of summary executions.
Human rights chief Navi Pillay said that systematic killings in the north of the country "almost certainly amounted to war crimes".
Her remarks came as the militants, led by ISIS, were reported to have seized the strategic city of Tal Afar.
The rebels occupied several key cities last week, but some towns were retaken.The rebels occupied several key cities last week, but some towns were retaken.
Security in Baghdad has been stepped up after the insurgents threatened to march on the capital.Security in Baghdad has been stepped up after the insurgents threatened to march on the capital.
Reports are emerging that an army helicopter has been shot down in fierce clashes near the city of Fallujah, located just 70km (45 miles) west of Baghdad. Special forces mission
President Barack Obama says the United States is deploying up to 275 military personnel to Iraq to protect American interests there. The White House statement said that the main role of the 275 military personnel will be to help embassy staff to relocate to US consulates in Basra and Irbil.
Analysis: Jim Muir, BBC News, Irbil It added that 100 personnel would provide airfield management and security.
One reason Tal Afar was important for the government to hold was that the city was the state's only outpost in the entire province of Nineveh, which fell to the Sunni militants last week as the army collapsed. "These US military personnel are entering Iraq with the consent of the government of Iraq," the statement said.
It is also strategically significant, straddling the main highway from Mosul, the provincial capital, to the Syrian border. "The US embassy in Baghdad remains open, and a substantial majority of the US embassy presence in Iraq will remain in place and the embassy will be fully equipped to carry out its national security mission."
However, assuming Tal Afar has indeed fallen to the militants, it does not mean they have a direct link to Syria - the border crossing at Rabia is controlled on the eastern side by Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, and on the western side by the Popular Protection Units (YPG), the armed wing of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), which is fiercely hostile to ISIS. The defence department in a separate statement said that "the safety of personnel serving in diplomatic missions abroad is among our highest priorities".
Tal Afar is important for other reasons too. Most of the areas through which the Sunni militants swept last week were largely Sunni populated. Tal Afar has a big Shia community, from the Turkmen minority, perhaps one reason why it held out longer than any other town in Nineveh. "The presence of these additional forces will help enable the state department to continue their critical diplomatic mission and work with Iraqis on challenges they are facing."
Some observers believe it is important for Iran - which sees itself as the custodian of the Shia - that Tal Afar should not be allowed to fall, and that they would sooner or later wreak revenge, especially if abuses were committed during or after its capture. American officials quoted by the AP news agency have said that there is also a possibility of a limited special forces mission being deployed to train and advise demoralised Iraqi troops, although such a move has not yet been been given the go-ahead.
Reports meanwhile have emerged that an army helicopter was shot down in fierce clashes near the city of Fallujah, located just 70km (45 miles) west of Baghdad.
Lightning advanceLightning advance
Ms Pillay said the UN had evidence from its own human rights monitors in Iraq that non-combatants had been summarily executed over the past five days, including members of the security forces who had surrendered or been captured. Ms Pillay's comments came after Sunni militants posted photos online appearing to show fighters massacring Iraqi soldiers.
Her comments came after Sunni militants posted photos online appearing to show fighters massacring Iraqi soldiers.
In a video circulated online, ISIS fighters were also seen taunting captured troops with threats of decapitation.In a video circulated online, ISIS fighters were also seen taunting captured troops with threats of decapitation.
The Iraqi military earlier said the pictures were real, but their authenticity has not been independently confirmed. The US condemned them as "horrifying".The Iraqi military earlier said the pictures were real, but their authenticity has not been independently confirmed. The US condemned them as "horrifying".
The insurgents' lightning advance began last week with their capture of the cities of Mosul and Tikrit.The insurgents' lightning advance began last week with their capture of the cities of Mosul and Tikrit.
Fighting in Tal Afar began on Sunday, with mortar shelling of some districts as the militants tried to enter the city in Nineveh province.Fighting in Tal Afar began on Sunday, with mortar shelling of some districts as the militants tried to enter the city in Nineveh province.
Tal Afar, which has a mixed Sunni and Shia population, lies between Mosul and the Syrian border.Tal Afar, which has a mixed Sunni and Shia population, lies between Mosul and the Syrian border.
The city of 200,000 people was taken just before dawn on Monday, Mayor Abdulal Abdoul told the Associated Press news agency.The city of 200,000 people was taken just before dawn on Monday, Mayor Abdulal Abdoul told the Associated Press news agency.
Eyewitnesses said militants in pick-up trucks mounted with machine guns and flying black jihadist banners were roaming the streets as gunfire rang out.Eyewitnesses said militants in pick-up trucks mounted with machine guns and flying black jihadist banners were roaming the streets as gunfire rang out.
But the government insists it still largely controls the town and that ISIS fighters would be swiftly dealt with, says the BBC's Jim Muir in northern Iraq.But the government insists it still largely controls the town and that ISIS fighters would be swiftly dealt with, says the BBC's Jim Muir in northern Iraq.
The government also announced it had "regained the initiative" against an offensive by Sunni rebels.The government also announced it had "regained the initiative" against an offensive by Sunni rebels.
The defence ministry released footage on Monday which it said was of air strikes on ISIS targets north of Baghdad, including Mosul and Samarra provinces.The defence ministry released footage on Monday which it said was of air strikes on ISIS targets north of Baghdad, including Mosul and Samarra provinces.
Government forces were also reported to be building up in the city of Samarra, north of Baghdad, for a counter-offensive on Tikrit.
Iranian co-operation?
The US earlier announced it might use drone strikes to halt the ISIS advance.The US earlier announced it might use drone strikes to halt the ISIS advance.
The Pentagon said US officials were also open to holding direct talks with Iran over Iraq, but there was "no plan to co-ordinate military activity" between the two countries. The USS George HW Bush aircraft carrier has already been deployed to the Gulf, accompanied by two more warships.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said he would consider co-operation if the US took action.
The USS George HW Bush aircraft carrier has already been deployed to the Gulf, accompanied by two more warships. But Washington says no US troops will be deployed on the ground.
Britain reiterated on Monday that it had no plans for military intervention in Iraq.Britain reiterated on Monday that it had no plans for military intervention in Iraq.
The US has begun evacuating some diplomatic staff from Baghdad, moving them to Kurdish-controlled territory in the north-east and to Basra in the south.
The UN confirmed it had also moved 58 of its personnel from Baghdad to Amman in neighbouring Jordan, adding that more relocations were possible.
An estimated 500,000 people have been displaced internally as a result of recent fighting in Mosul.
ISIS in IraqISIS in Iraq
Iraq 'Massacre' photos: What we knowIraq 'Massacre' photos: What we know