Amnesty: Shia militias in Iraq committing 'war crimes'

Amnesty International yesterday accused Shia militias, backed by the Iraqi government, of committing what it called “war crimes”.

In a report that was released today and published on its website, Amnesty said: “Shia militias, supported and armed by the Iraqi government, kidnapped and killed dozens of Sunni civilians in the recent months, in light of total impunity from such war crimes.”

It added that what Amnesty called “the rule of the militias” in Iraq “provides shocking details about the increasing sectarian attacks carried out by strong Shia militias in Baghdad, Samarra and Kirkuk, apparently in retaliation for attacks by armed groups that call themselves ISIS.”

The report pointed out to “the discovery of dozens of unidentified bodies across the country, who were found handcuffed and shot in the head, indicating a pattern of deliberate execution-style murder.”

Donatella Rovera, Amnesty International’s senior crisis response adviser, said: “By giving its blessing to the militias to routinely commit such horrific abuses, the Iraqi government authorises war crimes and fuels a serious cycle of sectarian violence which is tearing the country apart.”

She demanded an immediate end to “the support of the Iraqi government to the rule of militias”.

The international organisation explained that “the fate of many of those who were kidnapped by Shia militias weeks and months ago is still unknown; while some prisoners were killed even after their families paid a ransom of more than $80,000 to be freed.”

It considered that “the growing power of Shia militias contributed to a general deterioration in security and a climate of chaos.”

Rovera noted that these militias’ prominence and power have increased since June, after the decline of the Iraqi army as it gave up nearly one-third of the country to ISIS fighters.

She explained that tens of thousands of people work with the militia and are dressed in military uniforms, but they “do not work within any legal framework or any official censorship”.

It was not possible to verify the content of Amnesty’s report.