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| Mass graves for '300 Shia Nigerians' in Zaria | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Nigeria's military killed and quickly buried the bodies of at least 300 Shia Muslims in an unjustified attack in the northern Zaria city, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said. | Nigeria's military killed and quickly buried the bodies of at least 300 Shia Muslims in an unjustified attack in the northern Zaria city, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said. |
| The bodies were buried without family members' permission, it added. | The bodies were buried without family members' permission, it added. |
| The army denies killing hundreds of people but has not given any casualty figures. | The army denies killing hundreds of people but has not given any casualty figures. |
| The killings earlier this month sparked outrage among Shias around the world and Iran called for their protection. | The killings earlier this month sparked outrage among Shias around the world and Iran called for their protection. |
| HRW said Nigeria's army version of events "does not stack up" and called for an independent judicial investigation into what happened. | HRW said Nigeria's army version of events "does not stack up" and called for an independent judicial investigation into what happened. |
| The Shias have rejected a committee set up by the government to look into the incident, saying it would be biased. | The Shias have rejected a committee set up by the government to look into the incident, saying it would be biased. |
| "At best it was a brutal overreaction and at worst it was a planned attack on the minority Shia group," HRW Africa direction Daniel Bekele said. | "At best it was a brutal overreaction and at worst it was a planned attack on the minority Shia group," HRW Africa direction Daniel Bekele said. |
| The military accuses the pro-Iranian sect of trying to assassinate army chief Gen Tukur Buratai, which it denies. | The military accuses the pro-Iranian sect of trying to assassinate army chief Gen Tukur Buratai, which it denies. |
| It also released images purportedly showing Shias with sticks and some throwing stones at them when they tried to pass through a makeshift roadblock erected by the group. | It also released images purportedly showing Shias with sticks and some throwing stones at them when they tried to pass through a makeshift roadblock erected by the group. |
| But Human Rights Watch says there has been no "credible information" that any soldiers were injured or killed. | But Human Rights Watch says there has been no "credible information" that any soldiers were injured or killed. |
| It is difficult to determine an accurate death toll but the information was gathered from hospital sources and eyewitnesses, the campaign group added in a statement. | It is difficult to determine an accurate death toll but the information was gathered from hospital sources and eyewitnesses, the campaign group added in a statement. |
| Nigeria's Islamic spiritual leader, the Sultan of Sokoto, has warned that the raids on the sect, known as the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), could spark a new insurgency. | Nigeria's Islamic spiritual leader, the Sultan of Sokoto, has warned that the raids on the sect, known as the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), could spark a new insurgency. |
| Militant Sunni Islamist group Boko Haram has killed thousands of people in its pursuit of an Islamic state, and has attacked the IMN. | Militant Sunni Islamist group Boko Haram has killed thousands of people in its pursuit of an Islamic state, and has attacked the IMN. |
| The IMN said the military had destroyed its religious shrine and the home of its leader Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky during the raid. | The IMN said the military had destroyed its religious shrine and the home of its leader Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky during the raid. |
| Sheikh Zakzaky is currently being held by the police. | Sheikh Zakzaky is currently being held by the police. |
| Those killed during the incident include the group's deputy leader and its spokesman. | Those killed during the incident include the group's deputy leader and its spokesman. |
| Last year, three sons of Sheikh Zakzaky were killed in clashes between the army and pilgrims in a religious procession. | Last year, three sons of Sheikh Zakzaky were killed in clashes between the army and pilgrims in a religious procession. |
| Shias in Nigeria | Shias in Nigeria |
| Meeting Sheikh Zakzaky | Meeting Sheikh Zakzaky |