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Anbar Governor: PMF Killed Dozens of Citizens of Fallujah | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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ISF in Fallujah Suburbs, Reuters


Fallujah – Al-Anbar governor Suhaib al-Rawi said that Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) militias killed dozens of Fallujah citizens.

Rawi said that 49 men who escaped ISIS, have been killed by PMF militias. He went on to say that kidnapping 650 persons is a crime that the central government should take responsibility of and must do something to ensure their immediate release. He explained that by doing so, ISIS will be able to besiege inside of Fallujah thousands of civilians who are now afraid to leave the city because of militias.

Meanwhile, Iraqi government spokesperson Saad al-Hadithi said that the leadership has issued orders to all security forces to protect the civilians. Orders have also been given to PMF.

Whereas deputy chairman of Anbar Provincial Council Faleh al-Issawi told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that out of 90 thousand civilians besieged in Fallujah, over 32 thousand were able to escape ISIS and received in Amreyyat al-Fallujah. He explained that civilians are investigated there to make sure they don’t belong to ISIS, after which women and children are sent to refugee camps.

Issawi explained that a committee of five was formed to investigate the detainees, as 580 men have been referred to court. A sub-committee was also formed to check the information of the detainees; after which those who were acquitted, were sent to their families in camps.

Issawi added that 3500 person joined back their families as 6 thousand others await their turn in investigations.

According to Issawi, over 600 of the detainees filed a complaint on PMF members for torture and violation of civil rights. He added that the detainees filed their requests while Minister of Defense Khaled al-Abidi was visiting the detention location.

Meanwhile, Joint Operations Command announced that Iraqi Security Forces continue to advance. Security forces are now two kilometers away from the center of the city.

Joint Operations Command Spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Rasool told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that the Joint Iraqi Security Forces advanced on four axes to liberate Fallujah.