UNHCR's ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING THE ...
UNHCR's ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING THE ...
UNHCR's ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING THE ...
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
also aim to foment civil war, including by targeting Shi’ite civilians. The Islamic State of<br />
Iraq in an internet statement in December 2006, called for a war on Iraq’s Shi’ites, saying<br />
Furthermore:<br />
“Stand like one man ... and cut their (Shi’ites’) throats, spill their blood, burn the ground<br />
underneath them, and rain bombs on them.” 90<br />
“They (Shi’ites) have done more than the crusaders (U.S.-led forces) have been doing. They<br />
killed men, rendering women widows and children orphans, burned houses of God and tore<br />
his book.” 91<br />
They and others also aim for the establishment of an Islamic State based on Shari’a law.<br />
However, there are major divisions among some of the groups, in particular among foreign<br />
and indigenous groups, for example over the legitimacy of targeting civilians, 92 the goal of<br />
establishing an Islamic state 93 and their willingness to consider an amnesty and join the<br />
political process under certain conditions. 94<br />
The insurgency against the MNF and the present Government is mainly active in the “Sunni<br />
triangle”, 95 in which Arab Sunnis make up the majority as well as in mixed areas in the<br />
Governorates of Diyala, Babel and Kirkuk. 96<br />
Insurgency groups continue to target persons affiliated with or supporting the MNF/ISF 97<br />
as well as the Iraqi Government. 98 Furthermore, they are considered responsible for attacks<br />
on members of the Shi’ite community 99 as well as religious minorities 100 in an aim to create<br />
a situation of civil war and bring Iraq’s institutions to collapse. Most high-profile attacks<br />
causing large numbers of civilian casualties are attributed to Al-Qa’eda in Iraq and Ansar<br />
90<br />
According to Reuters, the authenticity of the posted recording could not be verified; see: Reuters Alertnet,<br />
Iraq Qaeda-linked group calls for war on Shi’ites, 17 December 2006, http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/<br />
newsdesk/L17355726.htm.<br />
91<br />
Ibid.<br />
92<br />
See, for example, Khalid Al-Ansary and Ali Adeeb, Most Tribes in Anbar Agree to Unite Against<br />
Insurgents, The New York Times, 18 September 2006, http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/18/world/<br />
middleeast/18iraq.html.<br />
93<br />
See, for example, Rick Jervis, General sees rift in Iraq enemy, USA Today, 25 January 2006,<br />
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2006-01-25-insurgency-rift_x.htm.<br />
94<br />
Sabrina Tavernise and Dexter Filkins, Evidence increases of an Iraqi-Qaeda split, The New York Times,<br />
12 January 2006, http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/01/12/news/rebels.php; Sabrina Tavernise, “Enemy on<br />
enemy” fire signals split among insurgents in Iraq, The New York Times, 22 June 2005,<br />
http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/06/21/news/rebels.php.<br />
95<br />
The “Sunni triangle” comprises parts of the Governorates of Al-Anbar, Salah Al-Din, Ninewa and<br />
Baghdad.<br />
96<br />
Military Review, Jeffrey White, Assessing Iraq’s Sunni Arab insurgency (political activities of Saddam<br />
Hussein), May-June 2006, http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-147346137.html. For an overview on the<br />
insurgency in Iraq, see UNHCR, 2005 Country of Origin Information Iraq, p. 64-73, see above footnote 53.<br />
97<br />
See “Actual or Perceived Sympathizers of the US-Led Invasion and/or the Multi-National Force in Iraq”<br />
and “Employees of the Former CPA, MNF or Iraqis Employed by Foreign Embassies or Foreign Companies”.<br />
98<br />
See “Government Officials and Other Persons Associated With the Current Iraqi Government,<br />
Administration and Institutions”.<br />
99<br />
See “Shi’ites and Sunnis Civilians”.<br />
100<br />
See “Non-Muslim Religious Groups”.<br />
39