Worker-communist Party of Iran - Hekmatist

The Ongoing War Crimes in Mosul

"This is doomsday here in Mosul. Please help us". This was the cry of a woman who survived yesterday's coalition forces' heavy bombardments against IS position. Central and western Mosul have come under a wave of devastating and unimaginable aerial strikes. Independent media and journalists are not allowed into the area. No one knows the extent of the fatalities and causalities. There is no confirmation of the the numbers of the buildings destroyed and those left stranded under the rubbles. There is not any independent coverage of the crimes committed by the IS and the coalition forces.

The extent of the atrocities in the past two days has reached a level that the media outlets in Iraqi Kurdistan have been forced to offer a limited account of the massacre taken place in Mosul. According to news reaching us the coalition forces have concentrated their attack on populated residential areas of Mosul. According to these sources in the Al Jedideh district of Mosul alone between 200 and 500 people remain under the rubbles of three buildings hit by the coalition forces' so called "smart" rockets. In another incident the bodies of 140 people have been found under a destroyed building.

 Those fleeing the area paint a desperate picture of the  situation where people are forced to abandon the bodies of their family member and escape the onslaught. Those lucky enough to flee the war zones talk of unprecedented carnage and death on a massive scale. Pictures show Those fleeing are partially clothed, bare footed and are in total shock.

What we have seen is only a small account of an all out massacre and barbarism against the residents of Mosul. All the forces and states engaged in this war from the IS  to the Iraqi government, the US and the coalition forces are guilty of war crimes. IS is a murderous and criminal gang and must be wiped out. But the indiscriminate  massacre of the people of Mosul and the destruction of their homes and places of work, schools and hospital is a war crime and unforgivable. The perpetrators of these crimes must be tried for crime against humanity.

Worker-communist Party of Iran - Hekmatist

24th March 2017