The United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh, led by Christian Ritscher, recently presented a comprehensive assessment to the UN Security Council, shedding light on the heinous crimes of sexual violence committed by ISIL (Islamic State group or ISIS) fighters during their reign.
The report, based on three years of dedicated fieldwork, adds to the mounting evidence of atrocities committed by the terrorist group.
UNITAD’s Focus on ISIL’s Sexual Violence Crimes
Christian Ritscher highlighted the gravity of sexual violence crimes perpetrated by ISIL, emphasizing the importance of sharing assessments by the team’s mandate and Terms of Reference.
The report follows a previous investigation into the development and use of chemical weapons by ISIS against the Shia Turkmen minority in Taza Khurmatu, northern Iraq, revealing the group’s brutality in targeting vulnerable communities.
With the UN Investigative Team’s mandate scheduled to end in September 2024, Mr. Ritscher informed ambassadors that the team would focus on delivering preliminary findings, deprioritizing complex investigations that cannot be completed within the timeframe.
Critical areas like crimes in Mosul, destruction of cultural heritage, pillaging of oil and natural resources, and the terror network’s genocidal intent against the Shiite community face deprioritization.
Mr. Ritscher reaffirmed the team’s commitment to supporting Iraq in establishing a legal basis for investigating and prosecuting international crimes.
This involves collaboration with Iraqi counterparts to develop draft legislation aligned with global and customary law. He stressed the importance of evidence management, revealing that UNITAD holds 39 terabytes of information collected over the last five years, sourced from Iraqi authorities, civil society organizations, and open sources.
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UN Emphasizing End State over End Date in Mandate Conclusion
While addressing the future of UNITAD, Mr. Ritscher underscored that Iraq decided to determine the mission’s continuation. He urged the government and the UN Security Council to consider the end state of the mandate more than the end date, cautioning against a premature and abrupt conclusion.
Mr. Ritscher emphasized collaboration with Iraqi counterparts to present various options and possibilities, with the collective responsibility to ensure that the work done by UNITAD will be recovered.
As the UN Investigative Team grapples with the challenges of concluding its mandate, the revelations of ISIL’s crimes and the urgency of addressing them remain at the forefront.
The international community faces the task of supporting Iraq in pursuing justice and accountability, ensuring that the horrors documented by UNITAD do not fade into oblivion.
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