Tensions rise between Iraqi forces, civilians

Associated Press

MOSUL, IRAQ

“Don’t stop!” the Iraqi special forces lieutenant yelled as a wave of fleeing civilians trudged past his position in Mosul’s Old City in the scorching heat. “Don’t pretend you’re tired! Keep going!” Nearby, dozens of women and children, their hands raised, dropped their bags for security forces to search. Keeping the crowd at a distance, the soldiers yelled at the women to roll up their sleeves and empty everything.

“We know you’re Daesh,” the soldiers said, using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State group.

Tensions have escalated in the final days of the battle for Mosul, as suicide bombings carried out mostly by women hiding among groups of civilians target Iraqi forces closing in on the last few hundred square yards of territory IS controls. At least one such attack struck Wednesday.

At a screening center, security forces detained boys as young as 14 they accused of belonging to IS and barred the elderly and sick from stopping to rest during the difficult journey out of the war-torn district, a more than half-mile trek on foot over mounds of rubble in 115-degree heat.

Many civilians are believed still trapped in the IS-run enclave, with around 1,500 fleeing with every 100-yard advance by Iraqi forces. Iraqi soldiers increasingly accuse civilians still inside the Old City of being relatives of IS fighters.

Women and children who aren’t found to be carrying weapons are allowed to pass. Men and boys go through a much more stringent process: Their identity cards are checked and those with documents not issued in Mosul or whose name appears on a database are held for further questioning.