A/HRC/28/18 against Islam”. One victim recounted that militiamen entered his house, smashed furniture and stole large amounts of money and gold. He was told to leave and never return; his home and car were torched. The mission received similar reports of the destruction and burning of houses in villages in Yathrib, Salah ad-Din governorate. Victims told the mission that militia had prevented Sunnis from returning to their villages. 63. The mission also interviewed victims from dozens of Sunni villages in Amerli and Suleiman Bek, Salah ad-Din governorate, who reported a similar pattern of looting and destruction after the siege of Amerli was broken. As one witness recounted, “we hoped for the best when the Iraqi army and the ‘volunteers’ liberated the area from ISIL. Instead, once the ‘volunteers’ took control, they pillaged, burnt and blew up houses, claiming that all villagers are part of ISIL. This is not true; we are just ordinary poor people.” 64. While more information is needed on the link between the militia and the Government, such incidents point, at the very least, to a failure by the Government to protect persons under its jurisdiction. 65. On the basis of interviews conducted with victims and witnesses, it is reasonable to conclude that Iraqis were deprived of their fundamental rights to safety and security. In November 2014, members of the Sunni community leaving villages taken over by ISIL in Yathrib, Salah ad-Din governorate, were allegedly blocked for several days at the Makthab Khalid checkpoint in Kirkuk governorate. The checkpoint, manned by forces under the control of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), was the main entry point for those who wanted to reach safety in Kirkuk city or Suleimaniyah governorate. Some interviewees waited at the checkpoint for 15 days, sleeping in the street in the bitter cold. Many witnessed children dying of cold while their families waited to be allowed through. 66. Numerous other incidents reported by reliable sources could not be verified by the mission and require further investigation. For instance, it was reported that Shia Turkmen who fled the conflict in Tel Afar were stranded at checkpoints operated by armed forces under the control of KRG. 3. Indiscriminate attacks 67. The mission received a number of reports alleging indiscriminate attacks against civilians. While it was unable to determine the intended target of these attacks, it established that they often caused civilian deaths and injuries, raising the possibility of a lack of precautionary measures to protect civilians. 68. On 29 November 2014, for example, in Zour, Salah ad-Din governorate, two rockets fired from a helicopter hit a car, killing one person and injuring seven. On the same day, fire from another Iraqi helicopter hit a house in the same area, killing at least 17 people, including five children. 69. Numerous other incidents reported by reliable sources could not be independently verified by the mission and require further investigation. For instance, the use of barrel bombs by ISF was widely alleged. The use of this low-accuracy weapon in residential areas would likely amount to indiscriminate attacks. C. Mass graves 70. As State forces have retaken some ISIL-controlled areas, mass graves have been discovered. The KRG Committee on Mass Graves informed the mission that seven mass graves had been discovered in Hardan, Khanasor, Sinone and Zummar. Four mass graves were also discovered in Khanaqin, Diyala. A further 12 mass graves are reportedly located in areas that remain under ISIL control. 14