UNITAD urges Iraq to continue mass grave excavations after mandate ends

Shafaq News/ The United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by ISIS (UNITAD) expressed hope that Iraqi authorities will continue the excavation and investigation of mass graves even after the team's mandate expires.

According to Al-Hurra, UNITAD emphasized the importance of ongoing efforts to uncover and document the mass graves left by ISIS in Iraq, urging local authorities to persist in their work to ensure justice for the victims.

The team's mandate, which has played a crucial role in the identification of gravesites and the collection of evidence, is nearing its conclusion.

UNITAD was established under Security Council resolution 2379 (2017) to support domestic efforts to hold ISIS accountable by collecting, preserving, and storing evidence in Iraq of acts that may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide committed by the terrorist group in Iraq.

Reuters reported on March 20 that the UN team had to cut its mission short due to strained relations with the Iraqi government.

UNITAD began its operations in Iraq in 2018. The team has collected thousands of pieces of evidence, interviewed survivors from all Iraqi communities, and supported national prosecutions in third countries. Additionally, UNITAD has played a crucial role in the exhumation of mass graves across the country.