RASHAD, Iraq - Families are reeling in Diyala province where a deadly attack claimed by ISIS this week has unleashed tensions between local communities.
According to the Diyala health department, 15 people were killed and 17 injured when gunmen attacked residents of Rashad village in Miqdadiyah district late Tuesday night. The Islamic State (ISIS) on Wednesday claimed responsibility for the attack.
Residents of the village say militants ambushed them in two separate locations.
“The guards that are here don’t have weapons on them. They confiscated their phones and contacted their families and told them to come we have killed your “pigs,” "we are the Islamic State." When the villagers came, the militants attacked them from the other ambush [location].” said Mahmood Salam, a resident of Rashad village.
A woman and her four sons were among the victims. All the victims were Shiite.
On Wednesday, the victims' families reportedly launched a retaliatory attack on a Sunni residential village. Eight people were killed in the incident, Faris Azzawi, spokesperson for Diyala’s health department, told Rudaw on Thursday.
“The state protects the terrorists, not the citizens. If they protected people, 15 would not have been killed here,” said Farhan Mutaab, the father of four of the killed in the ISIS attack.
Iraqi security forces have deployed to the area in large numbers.
Bin Tameem is the largest Shiite tribe that was attacked on Tuesday. The son of the tribe’s leader says they will retaliate in given time.
“Our tribe will retaliate when we are sure who the perpetrators are,” said Hussein Tameemi.
Translation and video editing by Sarkawt Mohammed
