Islamic State militants have taken some 550 families from villages around Mosul, and are thought to be holding them as ‘human shields’ close to jihadists’ locations in the strategic Iraqi city, a spokeswoman for the UN human rights office said.

Islamic State militants have taken some 550 families from villages around Mosul, and are thought to be holding them as ‘human shields’ close to jihadists’ locations in the strategic Iraqi city, a spokeswoman for the UN human rights office said.