Preventing and addressing violence and atrocities against minorities 2014, para. 30
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Caught between warring factions, minorities in Iraq have been the targets of violence for more than a decade. In 2014, the targeting of minorities has continued and intensified under the so-called Islamic State which took control of much of the country. The Special Rapporteur, along with another United Nations expert, issued a press release in July 2014, in which she expressed her grave concern about the physical safety of several minority groups in Iraq, including Christians, Shia, Shabaks, Turkmen and Yazidis, who were being persecuted on the grounds of their religion and ethnicity. She urged the Iraqi Government and the international community to do their utmost to protect vulnerable civilians and minorities.