Terrorism and bombing campaigns, lawlessness, kidnapping and targeted killings continue to wreak havoc on civilians in Iraq, with the rights of women, children, detainees and religious leaders grievously violated, the United Nations reported Wednesday.

"The persistent conflicts affecting the country and weaknesses in law enforcement continue to have a serious and adverse effect on the enjoyment of human rights," said a bimonthly rights report written by the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI).

"Scores of children have been killed in indiscriminate bombings or as victims of indirect gunfire," the report said, estimating that women and children make up around 20 percent of deaths.

It also pointed out that children have been involved in suicide or other attacks against the security forces or the U.S.-led multinational forces.

According to the report, the multinational forces' operations during the period covered raised concerns regarding the death, injury and displacement of non-combatants, as well as damage to medical facilities, with claims made that hospitals have also been occupied or otherwise harassed.

Killings by armed groups that target civilians, religious leaders and mosques with the clear intent to undermine community relations have increased, the report noted, recommending that: " Political and community leaders should continue to work towards countering such practices and improving community relations."

Kidnappings by militias, criminal gangs and criminals dressed in security force uniforms have also increased, the report added. "While the abduction of foreign nationals has been widely publicized, the plight of Iraqi victims has attracted less attention despite involving a higher number of hostages."

Many Iraqi kidnapping victims are often religious clerics or pilgrims, both Sunni and Shiite, and are often tortured and killed.

The report expressed particular concern at the November discovery of detainees in detention centers run by the Iraqi Ministry of Interior who had reportedly been systematically abused while in detention, which was widely condemned.

"The identification of problems related to unofficial detention centers in all of Iraq must result in bringing to justice those found to have committed crimes at all levels of responsibility," the report concluded.

Source: Xinhua