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U.N.-mandated inquiry to investigate Izium mass burial site

STORY: "This is of course a novel incident, but we certainly intend to look into the Izium event as well," Erik Mose, who heads the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, said at a news briefing in Geneva.

Asked about whether crimes against humanity had been committed, Mose said the commission had not yet reached that conclusion, citing both a lack of evidence and analysis.

The U.N. commission of inquiry presented its reports in front of the Human Rights Council earlier on Friday, which conclude that war crimes including rape, torture and confinement of children have been committed in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.

“The investigation in those four areas showed a large number of war crimes by the Russians, and we found two incidents of ill-treatment by the Ukrainians. So in that sense, there are war crimes on not only the Russian but also on the Ukrainian side,” Mose said.

Ukraine and some other nations urged the commission to also investigate the mass burial site near Izium.

Mose said he was in touch with the International Criminal Court about the commission's findings. The body is due to submit a complete report to the council at the end of its mandate in March 2023, including with recommendations on how to hold perpetrators to account.