UN rights chief slams ISIL beheading of Egypt Christians
The United Nations's top human rights official has lashed out at the mass execution of Egyptian Christians by the ISIL Takfiri militants in Libya, calling on the international community to denounce the “brutal” crime.
“The brutal murder of these men, and the ghastly attempt to justify and glorify it in a video, should be roundly condemned by everyone, in particular by the people of Libya who should resist the urgings of Takfiri groups,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Zeid al-Hussein said in a statement released on Tuesday.
The video released by the ISIL terrorists on Sunday showed the beheading of 21 Egyptian Christians by the terrorist group.
“Murdering captives or hostages is prohibited under international law and Islamic law,” the UN official said, censuring the beheading as a “vile crime targeting people on the basis of their religion.”
The video showed the handcuffed hostages dressed in orange jumpsuits, similar to previous ISIL victims, kneeling down along the seaside near the Libyan capital, Tripoli.
After the release of the video, Egypt launched airstrikes against the ISIL Takfiri militants’ strongholds in Libya, during which 64 ISIL militants were killed.
According to Egypt’s military, the raids were carried out early on Monday against ISIL camps, training sites and weapons storage areas.
Commenting on the airstrike, Zeid said, “The Egyptian air force must ensure full respect of the principles of distinction” between civilians and militants.
In a statement issued on Monday, the UN Security Council denounced the execution of the Egyptians, saying the Takfiri group has no respect for human values.
The Sunday video came less than two weeks after ISIL militants released a similar footage showing the immolation of a Jordanian pilot, who had been taken hostage by the terrorist group after his plane went down in Syria last December.
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