Shia militia accused of attacking Sunni village in Iraq

An Iraqi tribal elder on Saturday accused an Iran-affiliated militia of expelling civilians from a Sunni-majority village in western Iraq.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Sheikh Jabbar al-Hamoud said Shia fighters from the Iraqi Hezbollah faction had raided Makr al-Deeb village in western Iraq and forced villagers out to the desert.

He, however, failed to cite a reason for the attack.

Anadolu Agency could not reach members of the Hezbollah faction for comment.

The Iraqi Hezbollah faction is a member of the Shia Hashd al-Shaabi fighting force that was incorporated into the Iraqi army last year with the aim of fighting the Daesh terrorist group.

The Hashd al-Shaabi has faced accusations in the past of having committed atrocities in Sunni areas of Iraq to have fallen under its control.

Al-Hamoud called on Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi to intervene to withdraw the Shia fighters from the Sunni village.