The jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) carried out "mass executions" in Syria in January, the United Nations said Tuesday, adding that it was investigating allegations of mass graves.

ISIL is a group of radical jihadists who have fought Syria's regime but who since the beginning of the year have also been battling a coalition of moderate and Islamist rebels angered by their abuses of rival fighters and civilians.

The commission was created three years ago by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate abuses committed in the war, which is estimated to have claimed some 146,000 lives and forced some nine million people to flee their homes.

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