Shiite militia drives back Daesh, divides much of Iraq

Shiite militias had pushed Daesh back from key areas in a crucial battle but at the same time they are accused of committing atrocities against Sunnis, Th New York Times newspaper reported Sunday.
Speaking at the rally, to an audience that included giddy fighters barely past their teens, the head of the Badr Organization, Hadi al-Ameri, boasted of the towns his men and allied militias had set free.
“These were big operations that others must learn lessons from,” he said.
More than a hundred fighters from the militia, the Badr Organization, had been killed in the farms and villages of Diyala Province in recent fighting against Daesh extremists.
During the battle, thousands of residents had been forced from their homes — including Sunni families who accused Shiite paramilitary groups like Badr of forced displacement and summary executions.
But even as Ameri was fishing for broad support and recognition, his group stands among the most divisive in Iraq, accused of atrocities against Sunnis and known for its close ties to Iran.
The new government of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, which has promised to rule inclusively, has been under pressure to distance itself from retaliatory attacks against Sunnis by both Shiite and Kurdish militiamen.