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Kataib Hezbollah were accused of various abuses of people fleeing the Fallujah battle in 2016 including the abduction of 643 men and boys (Iraqi News) |
An Iraqi official told Al Arabiya that the 643 men and boys who disappeared in 2016 during the battle for Fallujah were discovered dead in a mass grave.
In May 2016, the Iraqi forces surrounded the city of
Fallujah in the build-up to liberate the city. Hashd
units were deployed to the north in the Saqlawiya area. At the very start
of June, that town was assaulted,
and around 8,000
civilians fled the fighting. Immediately there were
reports of abuses like beatings, kidnappings, harassment, and murder of
displaced fleeing Saqlawiya by Kataib
Hezbollah. Hundreds
of people
were
detained and
some were tortured
over accusations that they were Islamic State supporters. That was highlighted
by the disappearance
of 643 men and boys. The Hezbollah Brigade were reportedly taking
revenge for the Islamic State massacre at Camp Speicher in 2014. The Anbar
governor officially complained
about this incident, and the United Nations human rights chief condemned
the abduction. Prime Minister Haider Abadi promised
an investigation, and a committee was created, but nothing
came of it as happens with all government commissions. As the war continued
this was largely forgotten.
While the story in Al Arabiya has not been confirmed yet, it
is another reminder of the many crimes carried out by the Iraqi forces. Today
protesters are complaining about pro-Iran groups like Kataib Hezbollah. During
the war however, they were embraced and their crimes were ignored and excused
by apologists. Since they were never punished before they continue with these
very same types of acts today.
SOURCES
Adams, Paul, “How Falluja can’t forget,” BBC, 9/6/17
Amnesty International, “643 Iraqi Men Missing for a Whole Year: Where Are
They?” 6/11/17
- “Iraq: Authorities must rein in forces amid allegations of torture and
deaths in custody,” 6/8/16
- “Iraq: Turning A Blind Eye, the Army of the Popular Mobilization
Units,” 1/4/17
- “’Punished For Daesh’s Crimes,’” October 2016
Al Arabiya, “Mass grave containing remains of 643 civilians discovered in
Iraq,” 12/15/19
BBC, “IS conflict: Falluja detainees ‘tortured by Shia militias,’” 6/6/16
Daragahi, Borzou, “’All My People Are Gone’ – Inside Iraq’s Largest Mass
Abduction,” Buzz Feed, 12/7/16
Hawez, Abdulla, “Iraq’s Shia Militias Accused of War Crimes in Fight
Against ISIS,” Daily Beast, 6/8/16
Human Rights Watch, “Iraq: Fallujah Abuses Inquiry Mired in Secrecy,”
7/7/16
- “Iraq: Fallujah Abuses Test Control of Militias,” 6/9/16
Loveluck, Louisa, “Hundreds feared tortured in advance on Fallujah,”
Telegraph, 6/6/16
Al Mada, “Anbar will check violations attributed to the crowd .. And
coalition forces warn of negative reactions,” 6/5/16
- “The joint forces isolating Fallujah after the liberation of Garma and
Nuaimiya on the first day of the start of the operation,” 5/23/16
Mojon, Jean-Marc and Majeed, Safa, “Despair grows in Iraq camps over
hundreds of missing men,” Agence France Presse, 6/14/16
Muir, Jim, “Falluja offensive: Final push some way off,” BBC, 6/2/16
Naylor, Hugh, “Iraqis in Fallujah caught in perils between Islamic State
and militia fighters,” Washington Post, 6/7/16
Office of the Governor Sohaib Al-Rawi, “Findings of the investigative
committee formed by the Government of Anbar province to investigate violation
in Saqlawiyyah,” Anbar Governorate, 6/12/16
Parker, Ned and Landay, Jonathan, “Special Report: Massacre reports show
U.S. inability to curb militias,” Reuters, 8/23/16
Sotaliraq, “Anbar provincial council demanding accountability by Abadi of
popular crowd members involved in violations against the people of Fallujah,”
6/6/16
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, “Zeid condemns ISIL
atrocities in Iraq, urges release of hundreds abducted after fleeing Fallujah,”
7/5/16
Wood, Vincent, “Mass grave containing remains of 643 civilians discovered
in Iraq,” The Independent, 12/15/19
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