HRW Details Shi’ite Revenge Attacks; 79 Killed in Iraq

by Margaret Griffis, March 18, 2015

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Human Rights Watch called on the Iraqi government to disband the Shi’ite militias after reporting on the “deliberate and wanton” destruction of villages near Amerli last year. According to their analysis, Shi’ite militiamen destroyed over 75 percent of Sunni homes and businesses, including schools. At least 11 men were abducted, but many more are missing. The group believes that these were revenge attacks.

On Wednesday, Iraqi Finance Minister Hoshiyar Zebari promised to transfer overdue funds to the Kurdish government within days. Zebari, who is Kurdish, blamed the delay on fiscal problems. The promise comes shortly after the Kurds began publicly criticizing the government for transferring funds to territories under militant control. Baghdad had previously claimed that the Kurds had failed to deliver their contractual oil allotments.

Yazidis who are helping push back Islamic State militants now want their own permanent army to protect themselves from Arab and even Kurdish Iraqis. They say they have learned from last year’s massacre of their people that they can trust no one fully but themselves.

At least 79 people were killed or died and seven more were wounded.

Ten children died due to militants preventing medicines and food from reaching Haditha.

Five Iraqis were killed and seven were wounded near a water desalination plant near the Safwan border crossing at the Kuwait border. A witness said that a truck bearing Anbar plates left a trailer behind which then exploded.

A married couple was executed in Shirqat, because the wife was not wearing a veil.

In Baghdad, a civilian was shot dead. A second civilian was shot to death.

A mass grave was discovered near Saidiya.

In Garma, 13 militants were killed.

Seven militants were killed in Bazawiya.

In Mosul, unidentified gunmen killed six militants.

Militants executed 18 members who had tried to surrender to Peshmerga forces in northern Iraq.

An airstrike in Tal al-Romman killed 13 militants.

Three prominent militants were killed in an airstrike in Anbar.

A number of militants were killed during an attack on Sinjar.