UN rights chief pleads for sparing Syrian civilians under IS

BASEL, Switzerland (AP) — The U.N. human rights chief says Syrian civilians are increasingly paying the price of escalating airstrikes against the Islamic State group in Syria.

Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein in a dramatic appeal on Friday urged all parties conducting strikes against the Islamic State group in Syria to take greater care differentiating between military and civilian targets.

He cited a May 14 strike that reportedly killed 23 farm workers in a rural area of Raqqa province and an airstrike the following day that is said to have killed at least 59 civilians and wounded dozens in the IS-controlled eastern city of al-Bukamal in Deir el-Zour province.

Zeid, who is a member of the Jordanian royal family, also says the rising toll of civilian casualties suggests "insufficient precautions" is being taken in the attacks.