Shia militia avenges from Sunnis in Rutba: Iraqi leader

By Suleiman al-Qubaisi

ANBAR, Iraq (AA) - An Iraqi tribal leader has accused Shia militiamen of carrying out revenge attacks against Sunnis in the western Rutba city.

“The Hashd al-Shaabi militia is launching a widespread revenge campaign against the city’s residents,” sheikh Assem al-Kasbi told Anadolu Agency on Wednesday.

He said militiamen had detonated a mosque and burnt down a number of houses in central Rutba, which was recently captured by the Iraqi army from Daesh militants.

Established two years ago, the Hashd al-Shaabi is an umbrella group of pro-government Shia militias drawn up specifically to fight Daesh.

The Shia militia accuses Sunnis of collaborating with Daesh, which captured vast swathes of territory in northern and western Iraq in 2014.

The Shia militia has amassed thousands of its members west of Mosul to participate in a major offensive to capture Iraq’s second largest city from Daesh militants.

Most Sunni forces participating in the Mosul campaign do not want the Shia militia to play any role in the operation, fearing such a move could lead to sectarian tension -- and possibly conflict -- in the ethnically diverse city.