UN Strongly Condemns Two Mortar Attacks Killing 11 in Iraq's Mosul

The United Nations strongly condemned two incidents of "indiscriminate mortar fire" in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, which killed four humanitarian aid workers and at least seven civilians in the last 48 hours, the UN said in a statement Thursday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — According to reports, four aid workers and at least seven civilians standing in a queue for emergency aid in eastern Mosul have been killed by mortar fire, with up to forty others injured.

"This is completely unacceptable and we condemn these actions in the strongest terms," UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq Lise Grande said in the statement.

Grande called on the Iraqi authorities to ensure that the "perpetrators" were brought to justice. She also pointed out that all parties to the conflict had an obligation to uphold the international humanitarian law.

According to the UN, over 107,000 civilians have been displaced as a result of the armed conflict in and around Mosul. The organization noted that humanitarian aid had reached more than 356,000 people affected by the battle for Mosul.

A government-led operation aimed at retaking Mosul from the Islamic State (IS) terror group, outlawed in Russia, has been underway since mid-October with air support of the US-led international coalition.