BAGHDAD PROBING INTO RIGHTS ABUSES

Officials vow action after videos emerge of soldiers throwing IS prisoners off cliff

WASHINGTON

BAGHDAD is investigating allegations of torture and rights abuses meted out by Iraqi security forces to Islamic State prisoners in Mosul, two Iraqi officials said at the Pentagon on Thursday.

A video released online shows men in Iraqi military uniforms beating a bearded detainee, then drag him to the edge of a cliff, throw him off and shoot him and another body at the bottom.

Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, the spokesman for Iraq’s Joint Operations Command, said anyone committing rights abuses would be held accountable, but he also suggested the videos may be faked and circulated to distract from the recent victory over IS in Mosul.

“Don’t forget that there are those who like to reduce the joy and the comfort we have from this victory,” Rasool said through an interpreter, speaking at an unusual briefing in the Pentagon.

“Maybe these videos are fabricated and quite frankly, we will look into this matter carefully and will hold anybody who committed that act severely.”

Interior Ministry spokesman Brigadier General Saad Maan said a number of personnel had been suspended.

“There might be some misbehaviour or inappropriate conduct by some of the forces, yes. But the investigation is going on.”

The Iraqi officials also addressed recent criticisms that security forces — as well as the USled coalition — had failed to do enough to protect civilians during the brutal Mosul offensive.

Rasool said all blame should lie with IS, which fought among civillians and routinely used human shields and suicide bombers.

“This organisation was the main reason (that) significantly (caused) casualties among civilians,” he said. AFP