Iraqi official: tribal reconciliation should precede IS families repatriation

Anbar (IraqiNews.com) Officials at Iraq’s Anbar province have recommended to resolve tribal disputes at the province before pushing forward with the repatriation of displaced civilians linked with Islamic State militants.

Baghdad Today quoted Naeem al-Kaoud, chairman of Anbar’s security committee, saying that “any decision to return Daesh (Islamic State) families could be catastrophic”.

According to al-Kaoud, “the rule at tribal areas is that anybody who commits a killing, his family is expelled until a reconciliation is reached”.

He added that, “until present, there is no framework for tribal reconciliation, and the government is required to sponsor that issue”.

Kaoud argued that “certain parties want to accelerate the repatriation of refugees to the province for political reasons to use those families’ votes in elections”.

Iraq declared victory over Islamic State militants in December, ending months of military operations to retake areas occupied by the group since 2014. Anbar’s Rawa was the last IS bastion recaptured by Iraqi forces.

But many officials and observers have voiced concern over a wave of unrest as the families of civilians slain by the extremist group could seek revenge from others that had some of their members drafted by the group.

Iraqi local authorities had reportedly isolated IS fighters’ families at some provinces and prepared for their social and psychological rehabilitation before returning to their home regions.