Daesh (IS) Executing 'Educated Women' in New Wave of Horror says UN

Men excavate remains from a mass grave on the outskirts of Saadia
 in Diyala province, (just east of Baghdad, Iraq) January 15, 2015
The mass grave contained the remains of more than 25 men

GENEVA: The UN on Tuesday decried numerous executions of civilians in Iraq by the Daesh, warning that educated women appeared to be especially at risk.

The terrorist group is showing a "monstrous disregard for human life" in the areas it controls in Iraq, the UN human rights office said.

The group, which controls large swathes of territory in Iraq and in neighbouring war-ravaged Syria, last week published pictures of the "crucifixions" of two men accused of being bandits, and of a woman being stoned to death, allegedly for adultery.

Numerous other women have also reportedly been executed recently in Daesh-controlled areas, including Mosul, spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters.

She said "educated, professional women, particularly women who have run as candidates in elections for public office, seem to be particularly at risk."

"In just the first two weeks of this year, reports indicate that three female lawyers were executed," Shamdasani said.

Daesh is clearly uncomfortable with educated women, almost certainly because they are smarter than most brain-washed or brain-dead militant Muslims. How can a man control and abuse a wife who is more educated and smarter than he?

A number of other groups are also targeted by the terrorists, Shamdasani said, pointing to "the ruthless murder of two men, who were thrown off the top of a building after having been accused of homosexual acts by a so-called court in Mosul."

Minorities are not the only ones suffering, with IS meting out "cruel and inhuman punishments" to anyone accused of violating its "extremist interpretations of Islamic Sharia law, or for suspected disloyalty," she said.

Four doctors were recently killed in central Mosul, allegedly after refusing to treat IS fighters.

The group also reportedly executed 15 civilians in front of a large crowd in Fallujah on January 1, on suspicion they had cooperated with Iraqi security forces, and 14 more in a public square in Dour, north of Tikrit, for refusing to pledge allegiance to IS, Shamdasani said.


Daesh threat to behead 2 Japanese hostages in 72 hours

TOKYO: The release of an online video Tuesday purporting to show a Daesh figure demanding $200 million in ransom for two Japanese hostages ambushed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as he was wrapping up a six-day tour of the Middle East.

The news brought into sharp, urgent focus in Tokyo terrorism issues that are usually only a distant concern for most Japanese.

Abe said the threat by the Islamic State group to kill two Japanese hostages in 72 hours is "unforgivable."

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made the comment Tuesday in Jerusalem. Abe said: "It is unforgivable and I feel strong resentment."

An image grab taken off a video on January 20, 2015, reportedly released by the Daesh (Islamic State) group through Al-Furqan Media, one of the Jihadist platforms used by the militant organisation on the web, allegedly shows Japanese hostages Kenji Goto (L) and Haruna Yukawa (R) in orange jumpsuits with a black-clad militant brandishing a knife as he addresses the camera in English, standing between them at an undisclosed location. The Islamic State group threatened to kill the two Japanese hostages unless Tokyo pays a $200 million ransom within 72 hours to compensate for non-military aid that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged to support the campaign against IS during an ongoing Middle East.

Abe demanded the Daesh group immediately release hostages Kenji Goto Jogo and Haruna Yukawa.

Japan relies on the Middle East for most of the crude oil it needs to run the world's third-largest economy. Japan has been stepping up its efforts to build wider economic ties and has increased exports as Abe has crisscrossed the region peddling Japanese technology and investment. Abe's Middle East mission included more than 100 government officials and presidents of Japanese companies.

Japan's government spokesman, Yasuhide Suga, said Tuesday that Tokyo remains committed to working for stability in the region and providing non-military, humanitarian aid.

Abe and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed Sunday during Abe's visit to Jerusalem to cooperate on counterterrorism.

Switching gears
Abe will participate in planned official talks Tuesday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas but is cancelling other events on his schedule to focus on the hostage crisis, Suga said.

He was due to return to Japan on Wednesday.

Here is what you need to do, Mr Abe: Tell Daesh to release the Japanese prisoners unharmed or you will send a large fleet of fighter/bomber jets to pulverize them. It probably won't work, but it will make them highly reluctant to hold any more Japanese to ransom. That is, if you follow through on the threat.