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Iraq

Suspected ISIS gunmen kill local villager in Gwer

2023-05-01

[Rudaw] Before dusk fell, Ghazi Qasim and his friend set off to go fishing on the Great Zab River over the weekend, but he never returned. His family members believe that he was killed by members of the Islamic State

...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
(ISIS).

The river is located only three kilometers away from their village of Kapran, Gwer district, 50 kilometers west of Erbil.

It was not the first time that they had gone to the same spot for fishing, Qasim’s family members told Rudaw, citing the victim’s companion, who survived the alleged ISIS ambush. He added that those who ambushed them appeared to be ISIS gunnies based on their clothing and looks, saying he had counted eight button men.

The gunnies captured, tied up, and blindfolded the two men, and killed Qasim when they saw a photo of him in Iraqi military uniform on his phone.

The friend, who claims he was let go by the bully boys, is currently being investigated by Erbil’s local security forces (Asayish).

"Even though the case is still under investigation, we suspect the button men were ISIS fighters based on their place of staying and equipment." Masoud Noori, mayor of Gwer district, told Rudaw.

Qasim, 46, is survived by five children. He was from the Kapran village in the Gwer district and was a soldier in the Iraqi army.

Gwer is located in an area disputed between the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). It has been a safe haven for ISIS sleeper cells because of the security gap between Peshmerga and Iraqi forces, as well as the rugged landscape.

ISIS has taken advantage of the situation in the past to move around, harass local residents, and carry out attacks.

Erbil and Baghdad have discussed establishing joint brigades to secure areas between their forces such as around Gwer. Talks stalled because of elections and a year of political wrangling to form a government, but funds for two joint brigades are included in the draft 2023 budget.

Posted by:trailing wife

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