Iraq: Government Forces Execute 255 Sunni Prisoners in Response to ISIS Atrocities, Says Report

[Comrade Grumpy]

Source: The Independent (UK)

Iraqi forces have illegally executed at least 255 Sunni prisoners in the past month, according to a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW).

The group said it found evidence of summary killings by the Iraqi army and militias affiliated with the government since 9 June.

In nearly all cases, soldiers, police or Shia militia members shot the prisoners dead, but in one case dozens of prisoners were reportedly set on fire and in another, grenades were thrown into locked cells.

Five massacres were documented in Mosul and Tal Afar, in northern Nineveh province, in Baaquba and Jumarkhe, in Diyala, and in Rawa in Anbar province.

The killings appeared to be retaliation for attacks by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis), which has seized large areas of Iraq and major cities.

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Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iraq-crisis-government-forces-execute-255-sunni-prisoners-in-revenge-for-isis-atrocities-9601952.html

[geomon666]

1. And this is the government we're supposed to be fighting to protect?

No thanks.

[jamzrockz]

2. Its rather complicated

These sort of things happen in Syria where the rebels will "liberate" a prison and the prisoner then join then in their killing and destruction of the country. So what is a soldier to do when the ISIL is knocking at the prison door? run out and let them capture and absorb the sunni prisoners into their ranks?

I am not saying there are easy answers but sitting here, I cannot tell you that I wouldn't do the same thing if I believed letting the prisoners live will mean said prisoner attacking me the next day with rebel soldiers. There is a reason these rebels love "liberating" prisons.

[jtuck004]

3. Pikers. Look how many surrendering Iraqui forces we mowed down as they ran away from us,

whether they were shot in the back, smothered by our bulldozers, whatever. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_of_Death.

We are powerful!! And we brought them some Democracy so...

well, bye.

[NutmegYankee]

4. Iraqi forces were retreating, not surrendering on the highway of death.

As warfare is all about destruction of the enemy army, pounding retreating troops has always been a key part of warfare. An army in retreat will eventually regroup and re-engage. The Falaise Pocket was a famous example of a retreating army getting pounded.

[24601]

5. Truth that hasn't been twisted to fit narrative isn't always welcome. Thanks for providing it.

[jtuck004]

6. Yeah, the Iraqi Army was a big threat. And there were WMD. And they will welcome us with parades.

It was murder, done by little people, at the order of a smaller one.

[NutmegYankee]

8. Your response was incoherent.

You are mixing wars. This happened during Gulf War I in 1991.

[jtuck004]

9. Yes, that's true. But I haven't seen them stop warring, and lying, for some time now. It

starts to blur together.

Thank you for the correction.

[fujiyama]

7. No surprise. These kinds of retaliatory killings are to be expected.

The country is in the midst of a millennial sectarian war, which has also transformed into a regional proxy war.

When the guards and Shiite militias at these prisons have heard of the atrocities ISIS has committed, it shouldn't come as a shock that they would perform mass executions in cold blood.

Our only hope is the Kurds get a semi-independent nation out of this whole mess and govern themselves more capably than the rest of the country. Iraq is clearly not a single country and never was.