Islamic State fighters are using the civilian population as human shields as Iraqi and Kurdish forces close in on Mosul, and in some cases are executing civilians in an attempt make it appear as though Iraqi soldiers have been captured and killed, the Pentagon charged Tuesday.
“We have seen reports out of Mosul of these gruesome executions where civilians were taken and forcibly dressed in ISF uniforms, forcibly put into Iraqi military uniforms and publicly executed for propaganda purposes,” said Capt Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman.
While the U.S. does not have independent confirmation of the reported atrocities, Davis said the Pentagon has no reason to disbelieve the accounts.
“It certainly in line with their standards and conduct and lack of adherence to any standards of decency.”
Davis also said that by forcibly preventing residents of Mosul from leaving the war zone, the Islamic State was effectively using the civilian populace as human shields.
While Iraq Security Forces are attacking from the south, and Kurdish troops are attacking from the East, the Islamic State forces still control the road out of Mosul to the west, and is preventing civilians from leaving the city.
The Pentagon said there no sign that any of the up to 5,000 ISIS fighters in Mosul are fleeing along that road either, leading Davis to think the battle for Mosul is shaping up to be “an ugly fight.”
“We can’t predict how long it will take the Iraqi forces to defeat ISIL in Mosul, but we know that we will succeed,” Davis said.
