In move that will only deepen dangerous sectarian tensions in an unstable Iraq, the country’s most senior Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, has called on Iraqis to take up arms against Sunni insurgents. US President Barrack Obama stressed that any US help "has to be joined by a serious and sincere effort by Iraq's leaders to set aside sectarian differences". Obama also made clear he will not send troops back to Iraq.
While everyone focuses on the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS) advances in Iraq, let's not forget their acts in Syria. ISIS appears to have executed at least 15 civilians - including at least six children - in northern Syria on May 29. With much of the world's eyes on the worsening crisis in Iraq, Russia has sent a column of tanks into eastern Ukraine to aid pro-Moscow rebels. This would mark a significant escalation in a conflict that has already seen both Ukrainian forces and antigovernment insurgents apparently ignoring their obligations under international law to avoid harm to civilians.Nigeria's Defence Headquarters yesterday declared the country would employ the "Sri-Lankan method" in its fight against the Boko Haram insurgency. In the final months of Sri Lanka's civil war, the government committed abuses that almost certainly amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, according to a UN report, and up to 40,000 civilians are believed to have been killed in the final months of fighting.
The Philippines Congress has taken an important step against unlawful killings by local officials by calling for an urgent official probe into “death squad” killings exposed in a recent Human Rights Watch report.
Norway has become a leader in promoting international standards to protect schools and universities from military use during armed conflict. Countries around the globe should join Norway in this initiative.
