Attacks on Iraq's Sunnis could constitute war crimes: Rights group
BAGHDAD: The abduction and killing ofscores of Sunni civilians in eastern Iraq this month and attackson their property by Iranian-backed Shi'ite militiamen couldconstitute a war crime Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Sunday.
Shi'ite militiamen deployed this month in Muqdadiya 80 km(50 miles) northeast of Baghdad after two blasts killed 23people near a coffee shop where they often meet. Islamic Stateclaimed responsibility for the attacks which it said hadtargeted Shi'ites.
New York-based HRW said members of the Badr Organisation andAsaib Ahl al-Haq leading groups in the government-run PopularMobilization Forces fighting Islamic State were responsible forretaliatory attacks it described as "serious violations ofinternational humanitarian law".
"Again civilians are paying the price for Iraq's failure torein in the out-of-control militias" said Joe Stork deputyMiddle East director at New York-based HRW.
"Countries that support Iraqi security forces and thePopular Mobilization Forces should insist that Baghdad bring anend to this deadly abuse."
A U.S.-led coalition comprised of European and Arab powershas carried out thousands of airstrikes against Islamic Statetargets in the past 18 months and provided training andassistance to Iraqi security forces. Western states have alsogiven Baghdad financial aid.
The rise of the Islamist militant group Islamic State whichfollows a Sunni jihadist ideology has exacerbated along-running sectarian conflict in Iraq mostly between theShi'ite majority and minority Sunnis.
A surge in such violence would represent a further challengeto Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi a moderate Shi'ite Islamistwho is trying to reconcile the Sunnis and win them over to pushIslamic State out of the mainly Sunni-populated areas in thecountry's north and west which it seized in 2014.
HRW cited Sunni residents of Muqdadiya who said the militiaswere behind the attacks on their houses mosques and people.
Reuters could not independently verify their accounts.
Sunni lawmakers told Reuters earlier this month more than 40people had been killed and at least nine mosques fire bombed inDiyala the province where Muqdadiya is located.
The militias rejected the casualty figures and said theattacks on Sunnis aimed to stir sectarian tension in Diyalawhich lies between Baghdad and the Iranian border and has amixed population of Shi'ites and Sunnis.
Iraqi officials declared victory over the insurgents inDiyala nearly a year ago but Islamic State has remained active.Badr has established itself as the ascendant militia in theregion after rolling back the militants.
Reuters