by Yesim Usluca
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The Islamic State (ISIS) has evolved the use of commercial drones to release explosive devices and grenades on civilian targets in districts of Mosul.

 

ISIS’s newest effort to modernize technology lies in modifying commercial drones for use as “weapons that terrorize the city of Mosul[.]” Off-the-shelf drones are capable of flying for up to half an hour with a range of several miles, and can easily be afforded by terrorist groups. The improvised drones, which are made up of a “plastic tube attached to a camera drone,” can drop 40 milimeter grenades. This creates a medium through which ISIS can engage in acts of terrorism from afar, thus reducing the risk of death to members of the group.

During the week of January 9^th, a U.S. Army commander stated that ISIS was using these improvised weapons as part of their effort to avoid losing control of the “former ISIS stronghold of Mosul.” At the time, ISIS had carried out a strike on a market in Eastern Mosul, where eight people were injured. A young boy, Hussein, stated that he had been shopping with his family when a “small ISIL plane dropped a grenade on [them].” He was later treated for a “broken bone protruding from his foot.”

ISIS has a history of using drones to record footage for propaganda videos and to conduct aerial surveillance. A research fellow at a U.K. military think tank, Mr. Justin Bronk, stated that ISIS is “known for turning things they can get hold of into weapons.”

International fear has developed over the possibility of ISIS leaving behind an “army of brainwashed and dangerous children[.]” Mosul’s youth have been exposed to long-term messages of hate while ISIS has occupied the country’s second largest city. They have further been taught “how to become terrorists and suicide bombers[,]” while learning the “extreme views of Muslim Sharia law[.]”

The Iraqi Commission for Human Rights urged the United Nations (U.N.) to “save a generation of children from religious extremism.” The Commission’s media director, Mr. Jawad al-Shamri, stated that two years ago, ISIS started modifying school syllabi to teach children how to make explosive belts, prepare booby traps and take female hostages.

For more information, please see:

Tech Times—ISIS Weaponizes Everyday Consumer Drones, Turns The UAVs Into Bombers—17 January 2017

Mirror— ISIS use drones to drop grenades on Iraq forces in Battle of Mosul’s desperate last stand—19 January 2017

The Telegraph—Islamic State using drones to drop explosives on civilians and troops advancing on Mosul—14 January 2017

The Washington Times—ISIS strikes Iraq with drone grenades—January 17, 2017

 

by Yesim Usluca
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

SANA’A, Yemen — A senior United Nations (U.N.) official issued a statement indicating that over 10,000 people have died in the Yemeni conflict.

The U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Yemen, Mr. Jamie McGoldrick, stated that in addition to the estimated 10,000 people that have been killed, an additional 40,000 people have been injured. The U.N. humanitarian affairs office indicated that the figure was a low estimate derived from health facilities that keep track of victims of the war. However, the actual death toll is expected to be much higher because the country’s medical facilities have all been destroyed by Saudi-led coalition planes “in numerous incidents often blamed on ‘mistakes’ and ‘bad intelligence.’” Furthermore, those who are killed in the war are often buried without any official records.

In his statement, Mr. McGoldrick urged “both sides to come together to end nearly two years of conflict.” He indicated that the war has resulted in one of the worst humanitarian crises in history, adding that “there are 7 million people who don’t know where their next meal is coming from[.]” He stated that there are 11 million people needing human rights protection to defend their safety and dignity. He added that an additional 2.9 million people require “legal and other types of support,” for problems stemming from displacement or gender-based violence. Farhan Haq, the U.N. general secretary’s deputy spokesman, added “[t]his once more underscores the need to resolve the situation in Yemen without any further delay. There’s been a huge humanitarian cost.”

The war in Yemen is being waged between Houthi rebels backed by Iran and the Yemeni government, which has received military support from a Saudi-led coalition. The war has “devastated” the country due to the estimated 19 million people (80% of the population) in need of humanitarian aid, and over 3 million people that have been displaced.

For more information, please see:

Newsweek—Yemen: 10,000 Killed in Conflict, U.N. Reports—17 January 2017

Euronews—UN raises alarm about hunger and insecurity in Yemen—16 January 2017

RT—UN ‘estimates’ death toll in Yemen war surpassed 10,000—17 January 2017

BBC News—Yemen conflict: At least 10,000 killed, says UN—17 January 2017

The Guardian—Yemen death toll has reached 10,000, UN says—16 January 2017