ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Peshmerga soldiers taken captive by ISIS are not detained in Iraqi prisons, a member of the Iraqi parliament has stated.
Shakhawan Abdullah, member of the security and defense council in the Iraqi parliament, denied reports that Iraqis have detained a number of Peshmerga who had been seized by ISIS.
"Baghdad would have loved to declare that it has rescued the Peshmerga," Abdullah said. "There are Kurds in the ranks of Iraqi intelligence, national security, and Ministry of Defense. If the news were true, we would have already known about the location of the captive Peshmerga."
In June 2016, 15 Peshmerga were taken captive by ISIS in an ambush in Hamdaniya, south of Mosul. At least six of them were beheaded by the group.
Family members of the captives claimed they are now imprisoned by Iraqi security forces and are facing execution.
"If someone has access to such accurate information, why wouldn't they tell who has transported the Peshmerga and where to?" Abdullah said.
Jabar Yawar, chief of staff at the Peshmerga ministry, asked the families of the captives for details of their loved ones, including photographs, in order to follow up with a formal letter to the Iraqi Intelligence Agency.
On Wednesday, he said "There is not any official evidence proving that the Peshmerga captives are held in Iraqi prisons and are under the threat of execution."
A total of 63 Peshmerga have either gone missing in action or were captured by ISIS militants since 2014.
Shakhawan Abdullah, member of the security and defense council in the Iraqi parliament, denied reports that Iraqis have detained a number of Peshmerga who had been seized by ISIS.
"Baghdad would have loved to declare that it has rescued the Peshmerga," Abdullah said. "There are Kurds in the ranks of Iraqi intelligence, national security, and Ministry of Defense. If the news were true, we would have already known about the location of the captive Peshmerga."
In June 2016, 15 Peshmerga were taken captive by ISIS in an ambush in Hamdaniya, south of Mosul. At least six of them were beheaded by the group.
Family members of the captives claimed they are now imprisoned by Iraqi security forces and are facing execution.
"If someone has access to such accurate information, why wouldn't they tell who has transported the Peshmerga and where to?" Abdullah said.
Jabar Yawar, chief of staff at the Peshmerga ministry, asked the families of the captives for details of their loved ones, including photographs, in order to follow up with a formal letter to the Iraqi Intelligence Agency.
On Wednesday, he said "There is not any official evidence proving that the Peshmerga captives are held in Iraqi prisons and are under the threat of execution."
A total of 63 Peshmerga have either gone missing in action or were captured by ISIS militants since 2014.
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