Story highlights Iraqi Federal Police deny unlawful killings in Mosul operation

Amnesty says killings, torture could amount to war crimes

(CNN) Rights group Amnesty International has accused men in Iraqi police uniforms of torture and unlawfully killing villagers "in cold blood," in the operation to liberate the city of Mosul from ISIS control.

Amnesty said in a statement Thursday that up to six people were extrajudicially executed in late October, apparently due to suspicions they had ties to the ISIS militant group.

"Men in Federal Police uniform have carried out multiple unlawful killings, apprehending and then deliberately killing in cold blood residents in villages south of Mosul. In some cases the residents were tortured before they were shot dead execution-style," said Lynn Maalouf, Deputy Director for Research at Amnesty International's regional office in Beirut.

"Deliberately killing captives and other defenseless individuals is prohibited by international humanitarian law and is a war crime," Maalouf added, calling for an immediate investigation.

Investigate reports Iraqi forces tortured and killed villagers near Mosul in 'cold blood' https://t.co/nNla41Auoq pic.twitter.com/hPU3GSClvE — amnestypress (@amnestypress) November 10, 2016

The Iraqi Federal Police have denied any involvement in unlawful killings in the Mosul operation, affirming their commitment to protecting civilians.

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