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Vol. 81/No. 48 December 25, 2017
Kurds protest attacks by Tehran-backed militias in Iraq
Rudaw
Dozens of Kurds, above, who fled their homes in Tuz Khurmatu rallied
outside the U.N. compound in Erbil Dec. 5, protesting against the
atrocities committed against them.
There has been brutal retaliation against Kurds there and in other areas
that had previously been under the protection of the Kurdish Regional
Government. The Iraqi government, backed by Tehran-backed militia
forces, seized these areas, aiming to put an end to implementation of a
Sept. 25 Kurdish vote for independence.
Kurds have faced attacks at the hands the Tehran-backed Hashd al-Shaabi
militia in Tuz Khurmatu. “The city has been emptied of Kurds and 8,000
families (47,000 individuals) have been forced to flee their homes,” KRG
official Bestun Zhalayi told BasNews Nov. 27.
“About 3,000 houses appear to have been confiscated” and “2,000 houses
have been looted,” reported Rudaw correspondent Hunar Ahmad, who
recently visited the city. “Some 400 houses have been set on fire and
more than 50 bombed.” Housing being targeted belongs to members of the
peshmerga, the army of the KRG, and those who cooperated with the
peshmerga. The Shiite militias also pillaged five Kurdish radio and TV
stations.
“The Sunni Arabs from the town were told they will be safe if they
returned to their homes,” said Ahmad. “But to this day, they are being
killed. There was a bombing the other day that killed 70 to 80, and
injured 90.”
— BRIAN WILLIAMS
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