Makhmur Arabs: Political agenda behind Amnesty report

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (K24) - Representatives of Sunni Arab tribes from Nineveh’s Makhmur district rejected Amnesty International’s report which claimed Peshmerga razed and bulldozed Arab homes.

Sheikh Taha Mohammad, the head of Laheb tribe, said at a news conference on Tuesday, “Islamic State (IS) planted mines and devastated villages in this region. The damage was caused by weapons used [by IS, coalition forces and Peshmerga]. Peshmerga have not destroyed any houses on purpose.”

Some Arab residents reportedly supported IS against Peshmerga. According to Amnesty International, Peshmerga destroyed Arab houses as revenge for their alleged support for IS, and prevented Arab families from returning to liberated territories. 

“Peshmerga reclaimed our lands from IS and then accommodated the displaced Arabs by taking them to safe locations because they were under IS rocket attacks,” Mohammad added.

“In fact, there is a [political] agenda behind the report...the news was initially spread by those who spend time on beaches...and are not able to help their families in areas controlled by IS,” emphasized Mohammad, referring to the Sunni Arab leaders who currently live in Jordan.

According to Mohammad, representatives of Sunni Arab tribes have already asked Iraqi Sunni leaders to visit the tribes in liberated territories to see “their realities” on the ground.

Mohammed explained that Masoud Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), supports Arabs. Barzani stated that those who support IS are not allowed to come back to liberated areas.

Sheikh Fares Gweri, the representative of Sunni Arabs in Gwer near Erbil, told K24, “Peshmerga support us, but there is a political hand behind the statements [in the report] that tend to create tension. They [Sunni leaders] claim that they defend us while we [Sunni Arabs] are now displaced. They try to ruin the brotherhood between Kurds and Arabs in the Kurdistan Region.”

Many Arab religious and tribal leaders in Makhmur asked for an international investigation of the report. In addition, they requested the KRG to invite Amnesty International to visit the region and witness its condition and causes of destruction.

Writing by Gulala Khaled; Hushmand Sadegh from Makhmur contributed to this report; Editing by Benjamin Kweskin and Karzan Sulaivany