DHAKA: Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant appears to be using tens of thousands of people as “human shields” in and around Mosul, where Iraqi forces are waging an offensive aimed at retaking the country’s second biggest city.

The UN human rights office also said on Friday (October 29) it received reports of more than 200 people being killed for refusing to follow orders from ISIL, also known as ISIS, or previously belonging to Iraqi security forces reports Aljazeera.

It said “credible reports” suggested ISIL had been forcing tens of thousands from their homes in districts around Mosul.

“ISIL’s depraved, cowardly strategy is to attempt to use the presence of civilian hostages to render certain points, areas, or military forces immune from military operations - effectively using tens of thousands of women, men and children as human shields,” UN spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said in Geneva.

She said at least 232 people, mostly former Iraqi officers, were reportedly shot on Wednesday, and 24 on Tuesday.

The group is widely believed to be rooting out anyone who could potentially rise up against it, focusing on Iraqis with military training or past links to security forces.

Iraq launched a massive operation on October 17 aimed at retaking Mosul, which fell to ISIL in a matter of days in the summer of 2014.

Iraqi forces are advancing from several directions, but are still outside the city itself.

The US military, which is providing air strikes and ground support for the operation, said it tried to disrupt the forced displacement of civilians south of Mosul earlier this week by striking fighters’ vehicles being used in the operation.

Al Jazeera spoke to Iraqi resident Bassam Hussain in al-Fadiliya, a town near Mosul that was subject to US-coalition air raids.

While some celebrated their town’s liberation, others mourned the loss of their homes.

“It took me 10 years to build this house, I spent all my life savings on it,” Hussain told Al Jazeera.

The UN and rights groups have expressed fear that more than 200,000 civilians could be displaced in the opening weeks of the offensive.

Mosul is still home to more than a million people.

ISIL has built up elaborate defenses on the outskirts of the city, including an extensive tunnel network, and has planted large numbers of explosive booby traps to slow the troops’ progress.

BDST: 1907 HRS, OCT 29, 2016
NJ/BD