Iraqi soldiers punish civilians
Torture and execution of suspects, sympathisers may backfire
US COALITION-backed Iraqi forces believe they will topple the Islamic State (IS) in their western Mosul headquarters within about a fortnight. Iraqi commanders are predicting the battle against the militants will be over before the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadaan, which started on Saturday and concludes late next month. However, the militants are putting up a desperate fight as fears spike about the high price civilians will pay with 200 000 still trapped in the besieged city.
Furthermore, questions have been raised about human rights abuses meted out by Iraqi Shia militias to Sunni civilians suspected of co-operating with IS and whether this could backfire in the long-run with more Sunnis joining the terror group. IS militants set fire to a public hospital under security forces siege in western Mosul and executed 12 civilians inside as security operations reached the group’s final holdouts.
Iraqi Federal Police Colonel Khedr Saleh said the incident happened following the takeover of two other hospitals over the past two days. The besieged militants are putting up a desperate fight as Iraqi government troops engage them in Mosul’s Old City, one of their remaining havens which they have controlled since 2014. Iraqi planes bombarded two IS locations near Zanjil district, just south of the encircled Old City which comprises narrow alleyways with thousands of civilians trapped in their homes. The Iraqi military also regained control of 70% of neighbouring Al-Sihha.
Meanwhile, videos and media reports have emerged of abuses being carried out by Iraqi forces and Shia militias against Sunni civilians in Mosul. Human Rights Watch (HRW) recently reported that the Iraqi army and other local security forces had forced over 300 displaced families to return to west Mosul neighbourhoods still under risk of attack by IS.
“The families, who had fled to the Hammam Al-Alil and Hajj Ali camps for displaced people, are severely short of water, food, electricity, and medical assistance,” said HRW.
Leaked videos show Iraqi soldiers carrying out summary executions and torture of Sunni men suspected of being IS militants or sympathisers.
HRW warned of the dire human rights consequences that could result if the Popular Mobilisation Forces participated in screenings of men and boys fleeing Mosul for suspected involvement with IS. – ANA