ISIS killed dozens of displaced Iraqis near Salibi crossing

Iraqi officials warned on Tuesday of a security setback in Anbar province, demanding US intervention due to the high frequency of attacks by ISIS extremist group amid fears over the possibility of its re-occupation of the country’s liberated areas. Meanwhile, local sources warned of the group’s recent moves in the province’s desert and its surrounding areas, saying that they received information over the group’s intention to launch attacks against targets inside the province.

The sources added, “The group seeks to expand its circle of attacks in the province to undermine its security and to ease the pressure exerted against its militias in Mosul.” It warned that a number of western areas in the province are under clear threat, stressing the need for drafting suitable plans to protect the province as soon as possible.

On his hand Iraqi parliamentarian Salem Al Eissawy said that there are a large number of ISIS elements in Anbar’s desert, saying that the Iraqi government should take serious steps to contain this threat. He warned that the liberated areas could witness notable deterioration during the coming period, if the government ignored the extremist elements existed in the province desert area.

He blamed the security forces for the existence of the extremist elements in Anbar’s desert, saying that the Iraqi security forces suffer from lack of equipment and other technical capabilities possessed by the local police and emergency forces. He clarified that Rutba area contains only 340 elements of the tribal forces and few number of security forces.

In the same context, more than 1,000 civilians forcibly disappeared during operations launched in Mosul city and Anbar province, the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights (IOHR) has said.

In a report issued on Tuesday the observatory said it received “several reports from Anbar and Mosul over forced disappearance of people aging between 15-60 years old during military operations. However, the relatives of the victims did not file complaints as they did not know their whereabouts or to preserve their lives in some cases.”

In Nineveh, where fierce clashes are taking place between the Iraqi troops, backed by the international troops, and the Islamic State militants, in the western regions, more than 100 civilians disappeared in late April.

“160 displaced young men disappeared last week while fleeing Hatra, northwest of Mosul. Their destiny has been unknown yet,” Ali al-Ahmadi, an official in Hatra, told IOHR. “Gunmen from the al-Hashd al-Ashaeri [tribal mobilization] in Mosul were behind the abduction for political purposes,” he said.

The report quoted other sources as saying that the kidnapped could be from villages near Hatra and that they were abducted while fleeing to Tal Abta camp. However, the sources indicated tribal and political conflicts that could have pressured some parties to use power and weapon against whom they believe are opponents from the civilians.

Islamic State militants have killed 25 Iraqi refugees and wounded 100 others who were heading to a refugee camp in Syria near the borders with Iraq, a senior parliamentarian said.

Abdul-Rahim al-Shamri, chairman of the parliament’s Human Rights Committee, said Tuesday Islamic State members committed a “massacre” against civilians stranded at the Salibi crossing, which leads to al-Houl refugee camp in Syria’s Hasakah. He said the attack was carried out “with all kinds of weapons”, and that the deaths included women and children.

In the same context, ISIS members were killed as Iraqi troops targeted regions held by the militants in the west of Mosul, according to the army’s elite Counter Terrorism Service (CTS). “CTS and Rapid Response troops arrived at Halila village and began targeting IS militants in districts of 17 Tamuz, Mesherfa, al-Najjar and al-Refaie, in western Mosul,” Ali Mohsen, of the army, told BasNews on Tuesday.

The militants also kidnapped several refugees and seized their cars, according to Shamri, who did not specify an exact timing of the attack but urged the government to hasten with allowing Iraqi refugees in Syria into Iraq.

According to the Iraqi government, Iraq’s war against the ISIS, which took over large areas on the country in 2014, has displaced at least 600.000 civilians since October, most of whom have reportedly endured difficult living conditions both at refugee camps and at areas still under the extremist group’s control. ِA total of more than four million displaced people are estimated since the group emerged in 2014.

“More than 30 militants were killed, arms and stores of weapons were destroyed,” he added. Security forces were able to gain control on wide parts in al-Zanjili district, Mohsen said in previous statements on Monday. Islamic State is claimed to be in control of nearly 30 percent of territory in western Mosul, according to Iraqi generals.

A child was killed, another was injured due to a blast that occurred north of Basra city, an informed security source said on Tuesday. the source said that the child was killed, while another one was wounded as mortar missile fell on al-Karma region, north of Basra. Violence and armed conflicts claimed the lives of 317 Iraqis, and caused injuries to 403 others during the month of April, according to a monthly count by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI).