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Iraqi Government Accused of Barrel Bombing ISIS-Held Falluja

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Iraqi Government Accused of Barrel Bombing ISIS-Held Falluja 2 July 10, 2015 News & Analysis Iraq Iraqi government accused of barrel bombing ISIS-held Falluja Omar Hejab a city block, constitutes a war crime. Falluja residents said barrel Baghdad bombs were dropped there after Iraqi lawmaker Qassem al-Aaraji he Iraqi Air Force dropped labelled the city the “head of deadly barrel bombs on the snake”. He told parliament the Islamic State-held city on June 2nd, “All the population of Falluja, killing dozens there is affiliated with ISIS (an Is- of people and wounding lamic State acronym) and should Tmore than 200, Sunni tribal leaders, be wiped out totally.” residents and medical officials said. According to YouTube videos Medical officials at a Falluja posted by activists, the Shia-dom- hospital said at least 79 people, inated Iraqi government has used including 20 children and nine barrel bombs against several cit- women, were killed, and 212 oth- ies in its war against ISIS, which ers wounded in barrel bomb at- controls about one-third of the tacks that began June 18th and country. Mosul, Taiji and Tikrit, all continued through early July. battlefronts in the war against ISIS The makeshift bombs — oil since mid-2014, have been hit sev- drums packed with explosives and eral times. shrapnel — have killed or wounded Activists say the home-made thousands of Syrians since the em- bombs are usually dropped at battled regime of President Bashar night to evade being recorded on Assad began using them in 2012. video. Iraq’s Shia paramilitaries launch a rocket towards Islamic State militants north of Falluja in Anbar On June 1st, Sunni tribal lead- province, July 6, 2015. No pictures of the alleged barrel bomb use were available. Activists say the ers reported that at least 12 civil- ians were killed and 29 wounded, home-made bombs including women and children, Iraqi government officials did areas but made no mention of bar- “We see barrels showered down are usually dropped when Iraqi aircraft dropped five not return repeated calls from rel bombs. “The Council of Minis- from the sky every day,” he said, at night barrel bombs on a residential dis- The Arab Weekly asking for com- ters is keen to protect civilian lives declining to be identified because trict of Falluja. ment. However, on May 12, 2014, in conflict zones and provide them of fears for his safety. Humanitarian groups estimate Mohammed Taei, a retired uni- the Baghdad government denied with safe passages to exit those ar- that more than 25,000 people versity professor of international using barrel bombs and said it was eas,” the statement said. Omar Hejab, a pseudonym used have been killed by barrel bombs law, said the Baghdad government fighting “in a humane way”. “The government is lying up to for safety reasons, is an Arab in Syria through early 2015. Hu- is using barrel bombs “because On July 7th, Iraqi Prime Minister its teeth if it tries to deny that bar- Weekly correspondent in Baghdad. man Rights Watch says the use they’re cheaper than missiles and Haider al-Abadi’s office, in a state- rel bombs were used here,” a physi- Ed Blanche, The Arab Weekly’s of such indiscriminate weapons, can inflict more severe damage to ment, refuted allegations that the cian who treated recent casualties Analysis editor, contributed to this some large enough to destroy the areas they strike”. army randomly targeted civilian said by telephone from Baghdad. article. The need for national reconciliation in Iraq Viewpoint he cause behind the identity and no one dares to cross rests, the executions and so forth. genuine reconciliation. Even the deterioration of the that line. During Nuri al-Maliki’s run, Day after United Nations failed in the mis- security and political The concept of national rec- a committee was formed in the sion, despite the fact that it was situations in Iraq is onciliation is not new. After the prime minister’s office to follow day, the gap working closely with the com- definitely not some- fall of the Ba’ath regime in 2003, up on the initiative and to push grew wider mittee for a long duration. It was thing that could be specific parties raised the issue, it forward. The government even and Iraqi clear that the United Nations was Tclarified in one article. It is very especially after the dismantling of allocated a large budget for the helping create the right mechani- complicated and involves many the Iraqi Army and the formation campaign. citizens now cal approach to implement the factors; it would probably take of the De-Ba’athification Com- However, this committee is have to pay initiative. an entire book to explain. mission (making the Sunnis feel highly dysfunctional (as it has al- the price For many Iraqi politicians, this Dalia With this in mind, there is still targeted by the Shia-controlled ways been) despite the fact Maliki international organisation holds al-Aqidi one way out — a way for Iraq to government). is no longer in control. no credibility whatsoever. Hence, restart the process. But for that to Day after day, the gap grew One of the obstacles is the head any help from the United Nations happen, one would need Alad- wider and Iraqi citizens now have of the committee, a committed would be a total waste of time and din’s magic lamp and a few dozen to pay the price (with interest) member of Dawa Party, which effort because there is no real trust genies. Unfortunately, those do- for the mistrust between political makes him an essential part of the among the people (let alone the good genies have all emigrated to rivals. problem: He can never be neutral. political parties). more peaceful lands. Political leaders could not take This committee is lacking in The solution should come from Still, the magic term is “national into account the dark and danger- many areas, including the re- the Iraqis themselves; not even reconciliation” in which participa- ous circumstances people face on quired strategies, the necessary the Arab governments could help tion from all political parties, no a daily basis: the bombings, the relations, a true clear vision and — for obvious reasons. matter how big or small, is pre- killings, the kidnappings, the ar- the ability or desire to achieve a What is required is a rude awak- sent. (It would be nice to be able ening for all sides without a single to add “except for the ones who exception, or it will be too late. have Iraqi blood on their hands” Before a page can be turned and but that would exclude far too before Iraq can move forward, it many facets of Iraqi society). needs to start by granting a gen- The real problem in the coun- eral amnesty. Tens of thousands of try is the vast and continuously innocent people are held in Iraqi growing gap between the Shia prisons, incarcerated for undeter- and Sunni communities. Even mined charges under Section 4 of Baghdad, which used to be a the terrorism law. This needs to be melting pot for every ethnic and reconsidered and dealt with. religious group that the cradle of Injustice, oppression, unfairness civilisation produced, became a and extortion will only push the city covered in black and white. country farther into a dark tunnel Now, every little area has its own with no light at the end. This will lead to yet another devastating war. If you like what the Islamic State (ISIS) is doing to the region, wait till the current crisis starts to The magic term is boil over and a few more ISIS-type “national reconciliation” groups emerge from the wood- work. with participation from all And when all is said and done, political parties not one Iraqi will be better off. Dalia al-Aqidi is an Arab-American Iraqi political and religious leaders during a reconciliation meeting in 2013. journalist in Washington..
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