U.S.-Trained Iraqi Army Unit Committed War Crimes In Mosul: HRW

[Purveyor]

JULY 27, 2017 / 6:42 AM

ERBIL, Iraq (Reuters) - A U.S.-trained Iraqi army division allegedly executed several dozen men in the final throes of the battle against Islamic State militants in Mosul's Old City, Human Rights Watch said on Thursday.

The watchdog urged the U.S. government to suspend all support for the 16th Division of the Iraqi army pending an investigation into what it called war crimes, evidence of which was seen by two international observers.

Reuters could not independently verify the claims because Iraqi authorities have restricted media access to the Old City since Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory over Islamic State on July 10. Spokesmen for the Iraqi government and military could not be reached for comment.

Islamic State made its last stand in the Old City after nine months of urban warfare with Iraqi forces who are backed by a U.S.-led coalition.

more...

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-watch-idUSKBN1AC1L4

[applegrove]

1. K& R so it gets out there.

[Redlineoverdrive]

2. we're they isis or civilians that were gunned down?

I don't know what we think we are going to accomplish there. Can't build a nation at Gun point.

[Rhiannon12866]

5. It looks like they were unarmed men fleeing the war zone.

Here's the latest story. And welcome to DU!

https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/06/30/iraq-new-abuse-execution-reports-men-fleeing-mosul

[Solly Mack]

3. Toss a few memos out and say you did it in "good faith" and all is forgotten.

[Hortensis]

4. Header should be: "Iraqi Army Unit May Have Committed War Crimes..."

That this division, in the forefront of the battle against ISIS, was trained by the U.S. can be mentioned later in the article in describing the unit. We didn't train Iraqis to commit war crimes.

As for suspending all support for the 16th while this is investigated, good grief! Right now, the army needs to do some interviews and, if they don't like what they're turning up, replace some of the unit leaders. This needs to be investigated by the Iraqis, and by us and the UN, all right, but don't be incredibly, irresponsibly silly about it.

In a better universe, people who push for taking this unit out of action "while", before even knowing if it might be justified, would have to take the consequences on themselves by living in Mosul while it's investigated, but not have any right to take from the almost nonexistent food and water those trapped there are trying to survive on.