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Kurdish Shabaks in Mosul: Daesh 'Burned Down Our Homes Because We are Shiites'

© REUTERS / Azad LashkariSmoke rises during clashes between Peshmerga forces and Islamic State militants in the town of Bashiqa, east of Mosul, during an operation to attack Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq, November 7, 2016
Smoke rises during clashes between Peshmerga forces and Islamic State militants in the town of Bashiqa, east of Mosul, during an operation to attack Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq, November 7, 2016 - Sputnik International
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Dozens of villages and towns in the vicinity of Mosul where Kurdish Shabaks reside are still under the control of Daesh. The chairman of the Shabaks, Razi Behcet, told Sputnik Turkey about the persecutions endured by them at the hands of Daesh.

Iraqi army near Mosul - Sputnik International
Iraqi Troops Liberate From Daesh Two Territories East of Mosul
Shabaks are an ethno-religious group residing in Iraq. Modern estimates of the Shabak population range from 130,000 to 500,000. The Shabak are composed of three tribes: Hariri, Gergeri, and Mawsilî.

Since the beginning of the operation to liberate Mosul 6,000 Shabaks have been forced to flee towns and villages around Mosul.

© Sputnik / Hikmet DurgunKurdish Shabaks leave towns and villages around Mosul
Kurdish Shabaks leave towns and villages around Mosul - Sputnik International
Kurdish Shabaks leave towns and villages around Mosul

The refugees are residing in a tent camp called Hazyr on the road between Mosul and Erbil. Razi Behcet told Sputnik Turkey that in Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan there are about 750,000 Shabaks.

“Among them there are Shiites and there are Sunnis as well. A significant number of Shabaks live in Sulaimaniya, Sinjar, Erbil, Baghdad and Mosul. However, most of them live in Mosul, where there are about 85 villages,” Behcet said.

© Sputnik / Hikmet DurgunKurdish Shabaks in a refugee camp
Kurdish Shabaks in a refugee camp - Sputnik International
Kurdish Shabaks in a refugee camp

After the militants of Daesh seized Mosul, a significant number of Shabaks were forced to flee the city because they were persecuted by Daesh due to their Shiite beliefs.

“They took refuge in Baghdad and Erbil. However, there were those who could not leave their homes in Mosul. Shabaks Shiites suffered particularly severe persecution by the jihadists. Their homes were burned down; women and children were subjected to humiliating torture,” Behcet said.

© Sputnik / Hikmet DurgunKurdish Shabaks
Kurdish Shabaks - Sputnik International
Kurdish Shabaks

He further said that thousands of Shabaks were killed in the massacre at the hands of Daesh.

“In the Iraqi Army and the Peshmerga forces there is a separate unit consisting of Shabaks. Currently, the fighters of these forces are taking part in the operation to liberate Mosul,” he concluded.

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