Ayad Yasin Husein Kokha

The study investigates the judicial choices of prosecuting ISIL fighters, i.e. the extent of ascribing individual criminal responsibility to those who are implicated in committing serious international offenses. Methodologically, the study employs analytical and empirical approaches to analyze international and domestic criminal legal texts, and compare them with the on-the-ground situation. Overall, the study is restricted to the core international crimes perpetrated against minorities and civilians in some Iraqi provinces under the ISIL influence during 2014-2017, in the period of armed conflict between Iraqi and Kurdistani regular armed forces together with the international coalition forces against ISIL fighters. The main objective of this research, however, is to find the best judicial measures for intensifying internal and international cooperation in prosecuting perpetrators and implementing the rules of criminal law effectively, eventually to prevent the future recurrence of commission of such offences.