Sunni tribes demand government remove Shia militiamen from Fallujah battle

Sunni tribes participating in the battle to regain control of Fallujah from Daesh yesterday called on the Iraqi government to remove “sectarian fighters” from the battle.

to retake the city of Fallujah from Daesh, in reference to Shia militiamen accused of committing repeated violations against displaced civilians from the city.

The head of Anbar’s Provincial Council, Rafi Abd Al-Karim Al-Fahdawi said: “We warned since the beginning of violations against civilians, and stressed on the need to keep all sectarian factions away from the battle of Fallujah.”

He pointed out that the Anbar tribes do not know the number of civilians who had been subjected to abuses, either by killings, insults or beatings since the start of the operations in Fallujah on 23 May.

Member of the council’s Security Committee, Raje Barakat Al-Aifan called on the United Nations to conduct an international inquiry into the violations committed against the people of Fallujah over the past two weeks.

Earlier in the day, the Mayor of Fallujah Saadoun Al-Shaalan said the authorities are investigating the execution of 17 displaced people.

Activists published a video on social networking sites showing a Shia militiaman torturing and insulting people displaced from Fallujah.

On Saturday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi ordered the government to prosecute fighters accused of committing violations, including murder, against civilians during their participation in the military campaign to recapture Fallujah.