Amnesty International says government backed Shi'a militias in Iraq have been abducting and killing Sunni civilians, without any accountability in its latest news briefing on Monday.
Militias in Baghdad, Samarra and Kirkuk, have grown in prominence since Islamic State seized large parts of the country reported the non-governmental organisation, with tens of thousands of members reportedly in their ranks.
“Shi’a militias are ruthlessly targeting Sunni civilians on a sectarian basis under the guise of fighting terrorism, in an apparent bid to punish Sunnis for the rise of the IS and for its heinous crimes,” said Donatella Rovera, Amnesty International’s Senior Crisis Response Adviser.
“By failing to hold militias accountable for war crimes and other gross human rights abuses the Iraqi authorities have effectively granted them free rein to go on the rampage against Sunnis. The new Iraqi government of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi must act now to rein in the militias and establish the rule of law,” she added.
So far, the militias have enjoyed “total impunity” sadi Amnesty, with Rovera saying, “by granting its blessing to militias who routinely commit such abhorrent abuses, the Iraqi government is sanctioning war crimes and fuelling a dangerous cycle of sectarian violence that is tearing the country apart. Iraqi government support for militia rule must end now.”
The newly formed Iraqi government must hold the militias accountable, noted Rovera, concluding,
Militias in Baghdad, Samarra and Kirkuk, have grown in prominence since Islamic State seized large parts of the country reported the non-governmental organisation, with tens of thousands of members reportedly in their ranks.
“Shi’a militias are ruthlessly targeting Sunni civilians on a sectarian basis under the guise of fighting terrorism, in an apparent bid to punish Sunnis for the rise of the IS and for its heinous crimes,” said Donatella Rovera, Amnesty International’s Senior Crisis Response Adviser.
“By failing to hold militias accountable for war crimes and other gross human rights abuses the Iraqi authorities have effectively granted them free rein to go on the rampage against Sunnis. The new Iraqi government of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi must act now to rein in the militias and establish the rule of law,” she added.
So far, the militias have enjoyed “total impunity” sadi Amnesty, with Rovera saying, “by granting its blessing to militias who routinely commit such abhorrent abuses, the Iraqi government is sanctioning war crimes and fuelling a dangerous cycle of sectarian violence that is tearing the country apart. Iraqi government support for militia rule must end now.”
The newly formed Iraqi government must hold the militias accountable, noted Rovera, concluding,
“Successive Iraqi governments have displayed a callous disregard for fundamental human rights principles. The new government must now change course and put in place effective mechanisms to investigate abuses by Shi’a militias and Iraqi forces and hold accountable those responsible.”