Yazidi militias kill 25 Arab civilians in retaliation

Baghdad, Jan 28 (IANS/EFE) A militant group including Yazidi and Syrian Kurdish fighters has killed at least 25 Arab civilians on the perimeters of the northwestern Iraqi town of Rabia, on the Syrian border, an official source said.

Hosam al-Abar, a member of Niniveh's Provincial Council, said that a series of barbaric revenge attacks targeted four Arab villages located 120 km's west of Mosul.

The attacks were carried out by Yazidi fighters supported by militias affiliated to Syrian Kurdish parties.

Al-Abar added that this armed group Monday night launched a violent attack on the villages of Al-Jarua, Al-Sayer, Khazuka and Sibaya, which are located among the seven villages of Rabia.

The attacking militias killed at least 25 Arab civilians from the tribal clans of Al-Jahish, while 27 other civilians were kidnapped, including two women.

Al-Abar confirmed that the militias burned down the villages and forced out 1,200 families at gunpoint.

The operation was carried out to avenge the Yazidis who have suffered violence and displacement at the hands of the Islamic State (IS) terrorists group.