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ISIS Militants Stone Iraqi Couple Accused of Adultery ISIS Militants Stone Iraqi Couple Accused of Adultery
(about 4 hours later)
BAGHDAD — Islamic State militants on Tuesday publicly stoned a man and woman to death on charges of adultery in Iraq, parading the victims in a public square in the northern city of Mosul, according to witnesses and an Iraqi military official.BAGHDAD — Islamic State militants on Tuesday publicly stoned a man and woman to death on charges of adultery in Iraq, parading the victims in a public square in the northern city of Mosul, according to witnesses and an Iraqi military official.
It was the latest in a series of public executions of people accused of social crimes in the city, which the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, wrested from Iraqi control last June. Later in the day, the militants publicly beheaded three young men on a street in central Mosul, accusing them of being the nephews of a political opponent of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL.
The victims were not identified but were in their 20s, witnesses said. The woman was described as being married. It was not known whether they had been given a trial, but none was held in public. They were the latest in a series of public executions of people accused of social offenses in the city, which the militants wrested from Iraqi control last June.
The stoning victims were not identified but were in their 20s, witnesses said. The woman was described as being married. It was not known whether they had been given a trial, but none was held in public.
Abu Mohammad al-Lahibi, who runs a clothing store in Mosul, said he had seen the militants gathering several hundred residents in front of the government building in Mosul to witness the execution. The couple were handcuffed, and the woman was wearing a niqab, or full face veil.Abu Mohammad al-Lahibi, who runs a clothing store in Mosul, said he had seen the militants gathering several hundred residents in front of the government building in Mosul to witness the execution. The couple were handcuffed, and the woman was wearing a niqab, or full face veil.
“Twelve ISIS militants were standing there who had bags with them filled with stones, and they began throwing the stones at them, and after the third stone the woman was killed,” Mr. Lahibi said. The man died a short while later, he said.“Twelve ISIS militants were standing there who had bags with them filled with stones, and they began throwing the stones at them, and after the third stone the woman was killed,” Mr. Lahibi said. The man died a short while later, he said.
Another witness said he tried to record video of the execution on his cellphone but was ordered by the militants not to do so.Another witness said he tried to record video of the execution on his cellphone but was ordered by the militants not to do so.
“I was moved by the crying of this woman, who started bleeding and then died from the stoning,” said the witness, Saad, who gave only his first name out of concern for his safety. “I was standing there helpless. The government have left us as captives in the hands of ISIS, who make all kinds of crimes in the city. The more I see their crimes, the more I hate them and realize they have come to carry out a paid agenda to destroy the city and its history and civilization and to defame the image of Islam.”“I was moved by the crying of this woman, who started bleeding and then died from the stoning,” said the witness, Saad, who gave only his first name out of concern for his safety. “I was standing there helpless. The government have left us as captives in the hands of ISIS, who make all kinds of crimes in the city. The more I see their crimes, the more I hate them and realize they have come to carry out a paid agenda to destroy the city and its history and civilization and to defame the image of Islam.”
The stoning was confirmed by an Iraqi military officer, Col. Ahmed al-Jiboori, who is stationed at the Nineveh Liberation Camp east of Mosul. Colonel Jiboori also said that Kurdish pesh merga fighters in the area stopped an Islamic State attack east of the city, on Bashiqa Mountain, on Tuesday, killing 11 of the militants.The stoning was confirmed by an Iraqi military officer, Col. Ahmed al-Jiboori, who is stationed at the Nineveh Liberation Camp east of Mosul. Colonel Jiboori also said that Kurdish pesh merga fighters in the area stopped an Islamic State attack east of the city, on Bashiqa Mountain, on Tuesday, killing 11 of the militants.
Local residents said there had been more than a dozen executions by stoning since the militants began the practice in Mosul last August.Local residents said there had been more than a dozen executions by stoning since the militants began the practice in Mosul last August.
Residents have expressed impatience for the Iraqi military to retake the city, but plans to do so have been called into question by its failure to retake the much smaller city of Tikrit, in Salahuddin Province south of Mosul. The government had announced last week that it was on the verge of capturing Tikrit, but more recently said it was consolidating its forces around the city to minimize casualties, as the militants hold out in the center. The three men who were beheaded on Tuesday were described by witnesses as in their late 20s. After a rumor got out that their uncle had met with the Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani, ISIS militants came to the uncle’s home and took the three young men to a public street where they were beheaded.
Such attacks have led some Mosul residents to express urgency for an Iraqi government campaign to retake the city. But the progress of a pro-government offensive against ISIS has been slow, with the main force stuck around the city of Tikrit, south of Mosul, for four weeks. The government had announced last week that it was on the verge of capturing Tikrit from the militants, but more recently said it was consolidating its forces around the city to minimize casualties, as the militants hold out in the center.
Some 30,000 Iraqi troops and Shiite-dominated militias were involved in the effort against militants in Tikrit, who are believed to number in the hundreds or low thousands.Some 30,000 Iraqi troops and Shiite-dominated militias were involved in the effort against militants in Tikrit, who are believed to number in the hundreds or low thousands.
On March 12, Iraqi officials boasted that they were within days of completely subduing Tikrit and were doing so without coalition help. When that did not happen, however, some said the lack of airstrikes by the American-led coalition was to blame. Lt. Gen. Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, the Iraqi military commander in Salahuddin Province, said that he had requested coalition airstrikes but that they had not come. On March 12, Iraqi officials announced that they were within days of completely subduing Tikrit and were doing so without help from the American-led coalition. When that did not happen, however, some said the lack of coalition airstrikes was to blame. Lt. Gen. Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, the Iraqi military commander in Salahuddin Province, said that he had requested coalition airstrikes but that they had not come. Earlier, American officials had said that Iraqi officials had not requested help.
On Sunday, Hadi al-Ameri, the head of Iraq’s popular mobilization forces, as the Shiite-dominated militias are known, reacted contemptuously to such concerns. “Some of the weaklings in the army say that we need the Americans, but we say we do not need the Americans,” he said.On Sunday, Hadi al-Ameri, the head of Iraq’s popular mobilization forces, as the Shiite-dominated militias are known, reacted contemptuously to such concerns. “Some of the weaklings in the army say that we need the Americans, but we say we do not need the Americans,” he said.
In remarks on Tuesday, General Saadi said he wanted to see Iraqi airstrikes, but did not mention coalition ones.In remarks on Tuesday, General Saadi said he wanted to see Iraqi airstrikes, but did not mention coalition ones.
“We are taking the necessary steps to protect our forces, and the tribes will hold the ground after we liberate the territory,” he said on Iraqi television, explaining the delay in subduing Tikrit.“We are taking the necessary steps to protect our forces, and the tribes will hold the ground after we liberate the territory,” he said on Iraqi television, explaining the delay in subduing Tikrit.