Karim Khan: UK lawyer elected chief prosecutor at ICC

A leading British barrister has been elected the next chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Karim Khan, 50, currently heads a United Nations investigation into war crimes committed by the Islamic State group in Iraq.

BBC diplomatic correspondent James Landale said success in a closely-fought election would be seen as a diplomatic win for the UK after Brexit.

The ICC is the only permanent body investigating crimes against humanity.

Mr Khan won the votes of 72 out of 123 countries in the second round of voting, and will begin his nine-year term at the court in the Hague in June.

He defeated candidates from Ireland, Italy and Spain.

Mr Khan will be only the third chief prosecutor in the court's 18-year history, succeeding Gambian judge Fatou Bensouda.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab welcomed his election, saying: "Karim's extensive experience in international law will be pivotal in ensuring we hold those responsible for the most heinous crimes to account and gain justice for their victims."