EXCLUSIVE: Iraq says 17 civilians murdered by Shia fighter in Fallujah
Federal investigators say Shia fighter shot dead party of civilians as they tried to escape IS-held city in Anbar province
Suadad al-Salhy-Thursday 16 June 2016
A federal investigation committee formed by the Iraqi prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, said the civilians were illegally shot dead in the Sijar area earlier this month. A Shia militia fighter has been arrested and charged with terrorism crimes.
Salama al-Khafaji, a member of the federal investigations committee, told Middle East Eye the 17 dead were among 20 who were trying to reach a crossing point in Sijar.
"A fighter from Hashd [the Arabic name for Shia-dominated militia fighting near Fallujah] blocked their way and shot them. He surprised them and shot dead 17. The rest survived and ran away."
Officials told MEE that many Shia fighters were arrested and at least one of them was charged with terrorism offences over the deaths at Sijar. The name of their militia was not disclosed.
Federal and local officials stressed that there was no evidence of "systematic" abuse of civilians and that the attack at Sijar was an isolated incident.
"All the reports and testimonies of survivors indicate that the killer was alone and what he did was personal behaviour," Khafaji said.
Federal committee members said they were separately investigating reports from local investigations, led by Fallujah's mayor, that another 49 civilians had been killed and hundreds others were missing after fleeing Fallujah.
The local investigation said that it could not determine the fate of these people, "and cannot be sure whether they are alive or dead".
Hikmat Suliaman, a political adviser to Anbar's governor, said this was a different case to the murder investigation in Sijar.
"We have witnesses who said those people were killed and their bodies have not been handed to their families. There were reports that many people were severely tortured... and some witnesses said they saw several people being burned."
Four soldiers were arrested last week as they "witnessed wrongdoings committed by Shia fighters but did not react", a senior Iraqi official familiar with the investigations said. He did not divulge further details.
Sulaiman, Khafaji and several other federal officials said the federal investigation would re-interview all witnesses and military commanders to find out the fate of every single person listed in the report of the local investigation committee.
Fallujah, located on the bank of the Euphrates river just 50km west of Baghdad, was the first Iraqi city to fall into the hands of IS in December 2013. Iraqi security forces launched operations last month to retake the city, backed by Shia factions and the US-led international coalition.
"We have not committed illegal killings but beating some stubborn sympathisers and morally insulting them, yes." - Iraqi officer
More than 43,000 people have fled the city, according to the International Organisation for Migration.
Males aged 15-50 years have been separated from their families and taken to detention centres to submit to a security screening which usually last for a week or so.
Displaced residents have reported dozens of people being tortured in custody before release.
"Daesh [the Arabic name of IS] have merged with those who have fled. Some still insist on protecting them, so it's so hard to gently deal with such people," a senior federal police commander involved in fighting in Fallujah told MEE on condition of anonymity.
"Sometimes, we had no other option but this," the commander said. "We have not committed illegal killings but beating some stubborn sympathisers and morally insulting them, yes."
Colonel Mohammed al-Biadhani, a spokesman for the Iraqi operation, told MEE that more than 1,080 suspected IS members had been detained in the last three weeks, and that 6,000 people were still "under screening".
The number of those displaced is expected to significantly increase in the next few days as Iraqi troops advance into the centre of the city.
Um Ahmed, a young woman who fled fighting inside Fallujah last week and relocated to Amiriyat al-Fallujah camp, told MEE: "I understand why they (Iraqi security forces) took our men away but we have been told that they will be brutally tortured, burned and even killed.
"But also we have been told they are okay and will be back soon as long as they have no ties to IS."
