2014-06-23 23:55 GMT
Mosul, Iraq (AINA) — The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has begun to brutally enforce Islamic laws (AINA 2014-06-14) in Mosul, Iraq, which it overran on June 10.
Dr. Sallama Al Khafaji, a member of the Iraq High Commission for Human Rights, told AINA that on Saturday, June 21 ISIS began demanding a poll tax (jizya) from Christians in Mosul (AINA 2014-06-21). In one instance, ISIS members entered the home of an Assyrian family in Mosul and demanded the poll tax (jizya). When the Assyrian family said they did not have the money, three ISIS members raped the mother and daughter in front of the husband and father. The husband and father was so traumatized that he committed suicide.
“The Christians have told me that they cannot pay this tax,” said Dr. Al-Khafaji, “and they say ‘what am I to do, shall I kill myself?'”
According to the Arabic language website Alghadeer, four Christian women were shot and killed by ISIS members because they were not wearing veils. AINA has not confirmed this and this website is known to be administered by Shiites.
Also, the Hammurabi Human Rights Organization (HHRO), an NGO based in Baghdad, Iraq, monitors the human rights situation in Iraq, particularly of minorities such as Assyrians, Turkmen, Yazidis and Shabak. Founded in 2005, HHRO works for human rights observation and documentation, in addition to implementation of humanitarian relief in Iraq.
HHRO works with various Iraqi and international institutions on variety of issues. HHRO publishes annual reports on Human Rights situations focusing on Minorities. In 2013, HHRO was recognized and awarded as the best NGO by the United States State Department for its major achievements in the most difficult situations for the year 2012 in Baghdad.
The following is the latest report from HHRO regarding the current situation in north Iraq.
Nineveh Province
On 6/21/2014 ISIS destroyed the statue of the Virgin Mary at the Immaculate Church of the Highest in the neighborhood of AlShafa in Mosul, as well as the statues of Mullah Osman Al-Musali and the poet Abu Tamam (AINA 2014-06-19).
ISIS militants ordered Christian, Yazidis and Shiite government employees not to report for work in Mosul. Shiite Turkmen in the villages of AlKibba and Shraikhan fled after receiving threats from ISIS.
Sinjar District
Militants have threatened to attack the center of Sinjar District with mortars because it received the displaced Shiites from Tel Afar.
Hamdaniya District (Baghdeda)
On Saturday, 6/21/2014, gunmen attacked the village of AlShamsiyat in the Alhamdania District and arrested 25 village elders and young men who are Turkmen; their whereabouts is still unknown.
Armed militants raided the village of Qaratapa Arabs to search for a person wanted by them, but they did not find him. On Saturday, 06/21/2014, the insurgents raided the village of AlKahara in the Nimrud Municipality in Alhamdania District to search for the Director of the District, Mr. Ahmed Obaid, and one of his relatives from the military leaders named Khaled Kosofi, but they were not found, and as a result the militants bombed their homes.
Utility Services in Hamdaniya, Bartella, Karamles, Bashiqa and other villages
ISIS has severely limited the electric service to Hamdaniya (AINA 2014-06-18). The available electric power is first used for water purification projects and pumping, and what is left is distributed to residents at a rate of just one hour per day.
The water supply in Mosul is under the control of ISIS, it is only available for a few hours per day. This is the sole source of water that feeds Hamdaniya, Bartella and Ba’shiqah municipalities. The number of people who depend on this is more than 350,000. The populations has been forced to depend on wells and many of these are not suitable for drinking.
Economic situation
The economic situation in the District suffers from volatility and decline. A number of displaced families visited the Department of Immigration and Displacement for aid. The registered number for this aid reached hundreds by Saturday June 21, 2014 and the number continues to increase.