Shiite militia deny persecuting Baghdad’s Kurdish residents

BAGHDAD—A member of parliament who represents one of Iraq’s Shiite militia groups known as Asaib Ahl al-Haq denied that his group is acting against the Kurds, saying that both sides should join hands to fight the Islamic State (ISIS).

MP Hassan Salim from the Al-Sadiqun bloc rejected claims that members of the Asaib had persecuted Kurdish residents of Baghdad, saying, “There is no truth to rumors that there are issues between the Asaib and the Kurdistan Region or the Kurdish people for that matter,”

Salim told Rudaw that his militia group and parliamentary bloc have ‘good relations’ with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).

“There is only different political views and that’s it,” he added.

Asaib Ahl al-Haq, one of Iraq’s Shiite militia groups, has been accused of harassing Kurdish residents of Baghdad and forcing them to leave the Iraqi capital.

Some Kurdish travelers and taxi drivers also reported last year that members of the group had detained and harassed them on their way to Baghdad for business or seeking medical treatment.

“There is no such thing and if there is then the Asaib has nothing to do with it and it must be done by groups that have no links to us,” said Salim about stopping Kurds from traveling to Baghdad.

“We have friendly relations with the Kurdish people and we [MPs] try to achieve their goals as we try to do the same for the people of Basrah,” he added.

The Shiite MP maintained that his group is being unfairly accused of “sabotage and terrorizing the Kurdish people,” but that it is done by other groups who try to stain the name of Asaib Ahl al-Haq.