A UN team of investigators has begun work in Iraq aimed at collecting evidence on the massacres of the Yazidi minority and other atrocities committed by the Islamic State group, according to a letter released Thursday.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council in the letter sent August 17 that the investigators led by British human rights lawyer Karim Asad Ahmad Khan would begin work on August 20.

The council last year unanimously adopted a resolution setting up the probe to help bring perpetrators of IS crimes to justice -- a cause championed by international human rights lawyer Amal Clooney.

The Lebanese-British lawyer represents Yazidi women who were taken hostage and used as sex slaves by IS as it swept into Iraq's Sinjar region in August 2014.

The United Nations has described the massacres of the Yazidis as possible genocide and Clooney has made high-profile appearances before the world body to demand action.

Tens of thousands of Yazidis fled the August 2014 massacre in Sinjar, and UN rights investigations have documented horrific accounts of abuse suffered by women and girls.

Guterres told the council that Khan, who was appointed in February, had made a first mission to Iraq from August 6 to 14.

The investigators will gather evidence on war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide for use in Iraqi courts that will hold trials for IS militants, according to the resolution.

Six killed in jihadist attack north of Baghdad: police
Samarra, Iraq (AFP) Aug 23, 2018 - Six people, including members of Iraq's security forces, were killed in a jihadist attack north of Baghdad that left four others wounded, police told AFP on Thursday.

Iraq declared "victory" over the Islamic State group in late 2017 but jihadist cells remain active in the country.

On Wednesday, "IS gunmen attacked the house of former member of parliament Adnan al-Juburi," a police officer, asking not to be named, told AFP.

"They fired mortars at the home in the village of Asdira," 90 kilometres (55 miles) north of Tikrit, without causing casualties, he said.

But as police, members of the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force and civilians rushed to the scene, "a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing six people and injuring four others", he said.

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US service member killed in Iraq chopper crash
Baghdad (AFP) Aug 20, 2018
A US service member was killed and several other troops injured when their helicopter crashed during anti-jihadi operations in Iraq, officials said Monday. The crash appeared to have been accidental, as there were no indications it was caused by hostile fire, Pentagon spokesman Colonel Rob Manning said. A statement from the US-led coalition that is helping Iraqi partners fight the Islamic State group said the crash occurred around 2200 GMT on Sunday. "All personnel were recovered by coaliti ... read more