The people of Nineveh, both those still living under ISIS and those who have been displaced, “are concerned and fear for what will happen after ISIS. The possibility of personal revenge makes people afraid,” Sheikh A’hd al-Khalidi from Mosul told Rudaw on Sunday.
Al-Khalidi was in Erbil for the united council of Iraqi tribes’ conference, held to support the operation to retake Mosul from ISIS.
There is a fear among many that Sunni tribes who lived under ISIS rule for two and a half years will be accused of supporting ISIS and blamed for the terrorist group’s crimes.
Sheikh Mahmoud al-Jabouri, another tribal leader from Nineveh, agreed that they are afraid of tribal revenge after liberation. He said that the goal of the conference was to ensure revenge attacks against civilians did not occur post-ISIS, as was declared in the tribes’ conference statement.
“The statement of the conference was very good that it will not allow anyone to commit violations against civilians.”
Fear of sectarian violence is why the Sunni tribal leaders oppose involvement of the Shiite militia Hashd al-Shaabi in the offensive.
“Personally I believe that if the Hashd al-Shaabi were a professional force and not sectarian and their goal was to protect Mosul, I would not mind if they entered Nineveh,” Sheikh Mahmoud al-Jabouri told Rudaw.
But the Shiite militia’s record in previous offenses, such as Fallujah in Anbar province where the militias were accused of abusing the Sunni population, leave many in Nineveh nervous of what may happen during the liberation of Mosul.
“We are, as tribal sheikhs, afraid of the Hashd intervention that has caused destruction in Saladin, and as happened in other places such in Baiji and Anbar,” Sheikh Khalid al-Jabouri another tribal leader from Nineveh told Rudaw.
Mosul must be liberated by Iraqis and whatever forces are involved in the military operation, both Iraqi and international, they must coordinate with the governments in Baghdad and Erbil, the tribal leaders insisted.
“We refuse any kind of foreign troops’ presence in Iraq. Iraqi men, tribe members and the Iraqi army will liberate Mosul. This will happen at the hand of Iraqis,” said al-Khalidi.
“Regarding the Turkish troops and other foreign troops, it is interference in Iraqi affairs. Whether they are from Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia or Qatar – cooperation should be only with the Kurdistan Region and Iraqi forces,” said Sheikh Mahmoud al-Jabouri.
Sheikh Khalid al-Jabouri believes that Iranian interference must be denounced in the say way Baghdad has rejected Turkey’s insistence it will participate in the offensive.
“We do not accept any intervention of any country on Iraqi territory, whether Turkey or others,” he said. “At the time that Turkish interference should be denounced, the Iranian interference should be denounced as well.”
“Qasem Soleimani is leading the battles on behalf of Iraqi leadership, this is not acceptable,” he added, referring to the head of Iran’s elite Quds force.
“The support Turkey has provided for Mosul is in training the Iraqi army, Nineveh tribe members and Peshmerga. We should thank Turkey for that, but we do not let any country to intervene in Mosul,” said Sheikh Khalid al-Jabouri.
The same concerns exist when discussing post-liberation governance of the province, Sheikh Mahmoud al-Jabouri believes. He stressed that qualified, neutral persons should govern the region.
“We have to avoid internal political disputes. Now, liberating the province is the most important thing. Then we should find independent people to run Mosul professionally, people who represent the citizens of Mosul, not a political party or group. The city should be run by qualified people from Mosul who did not collaborate with ISIS in any way.”
The tribal leaders of Nineveh called on the international community and regional countries to provide support to rebuild their region post-ISIS.
“We ask the international community organizations, regional and Arab countries for support to rebuild Mosul as ISIS destroyed its infrastructure, its people, and heritage,” said Sheikh Khalid al-Jabouri.
“The case of Mosul should be dealt with internationally after liberation to help its people by rebuilding Mosul.”
