Former Iraqi VP Tariq Al Hashemi accuses PM of committing genocide in Mosul

Former Iraqi Vice President, Tareq Al Hashemi, has accused the Iraqi government and the US-led international coalition of committing crimes of genocide against the citizens of Mosul.

In an exclusive interview with Khaleej Online, Al Hashemi said the people of Mosul are facing death in a way that no other people in the world have witnessed except for the Syrians, pointing out that he had warned about what he called, “urban warfare” and its high cost on civilians.

Former Iraqi Vice President, Tareq Al Hashemi

“The city of Mosul is facing a humanitarian tragedy and an unprecedented disaster in the history of modern Iraq. Those who trusted the promises of Prime Minister Haider Abadi and remained in their homes faced bombings and death.” he said.

Al Hashemi said he had warned about engaging in urban warfare and its high cost on civilians, “especially when both sides of the conflict are serious about killing and annihilating the other side and equipped with a huge firepower to achieve this purpose.”

Read: Iraqi military says 61 bodies found in collapsed Mosul building

Hundreds of civilians on the western side of Mosul have been killed in the bombing by US-led coalition warplanes; many lay under the rubble of their homes. However, the United States maintains that it is only targeting locations held by the Islamic State militant group.

According to Al Hashemi, the civilians were caught between the coalition aircrafts bombing and the Daesh militant group. “What is surprising, however, is that the coalition is daring to use strategic B-52 bombers, F-16s and Apache planes,” he added.

It was possible to end the conflict sooner and reduce the cost, especially on civilians, if the government had not decided to impose a siege on the ISIS fighters inside the city.

Seventy bodies have been evacuated from Mosul, while reports indicate that more than 4,500 victims are still in the city; half of which are believed to be buried under the rubble.