IS uses extreme violence against civilians: UN

The Islamic State (IS) used extreme violence against both civilians and captured fighters in Syria, the UN has said in its latest report.

The report said the abuses, violations and crimes committed by the Islamic State against Syrians have been deliberate and calculated, reported Xinhua.

The IS violated its obligations towards civilians and captured fighters, amounting to war crimes, it added.

According to the report, in areas where the Islamic State has established effective control, executions, amputations and lashings in public spaces have become a regular occurrence.

The IS systematically denied basic human rights and has perpetrated crimes against humanity.

The report stated that the Islamic State sought to exclude Syrian women and girls from public life.

Women have been killed, often by stoning, for unapproved contact with the opposite sex. Children have also been the victims, perpetrators and witnesses of the Islamic State executions.

Where the Islamic State has occupied areas with diverse ethnic and religious communities, minorities have been forced either to assimilate or flee.