IRAQ’S prime minister has acknowledged that human rights violations were committed during the battle to retake the city of Mosul from Daesh, but says they were “individual acts”.
Haider al-Abadi said that those behind such acts were either “ignorant” of the consequences or “had a deal with Daesh” with the intent “to defame us and the security forces”.
He pledged that his government will punish the perpetrators.
Shortly after declaring victory over Daesh in Mosul, videos emerged on social media showing troops throwing captured Daesh suspects off a high wall, then shooting their bodies below.
Iraqi security forces are also accused by Human Rights Watch of forcibly moving dozens of women and children with alleged links to Daesh to a tent camp near Mosul that authorities describe as a “rehabilitation camp”.
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