Caution: The video below the fold is graphic beyond measure at the 40 second mark. A boy of about 12 is shot countless times through the side of the head with a rifle on full auto. We are sharing the video to report acts of brutality on both sides of the war. Please see commentary below video, not part of this report.
Report:
The murder of a young boy was recorded on video in Tikrit and published on LiveLeak. The Iraqi town of Tikrit is made up of approximately 90% Sunni Arabs. The Iraqi army, made up of primarily Shia Arabs, is now backed on the ground by Iran. The army is patrolling Tikrit as part of this week’s offensive to retake the town from ISIS.
Surrounding the boy, now handcuffed, the soldiers ask the boy, “Did you not fire at us?”
The boy replies, “By God, I did not fire a single bullet.”
In his defense, one of the Iraqi soldiers pleads that the boy’s life be spared. He stands in front of the boy. “No! No! … What is wrong with you? Nobody shoot!” he begs.
“Move! Don’t stand in front of him!” the gunman says, armed with an AK automatic rifle.
The boy’s last words are, “By God, I have done nothing wrong.” He looks at the soldier that defended him, no longer standing before the boy, and says, “Sir, please. God is watching. (Help me.)” He is immediately shot through the head and dies instantly.
Whether or not this boy did or did not fire a shot at the Iraqi soldiers has little relevance. If the men had fears that the boy was sympathetic to ISIS, he should have been taken prisoner. These acts of barbarity have no place in any legitimate army.
As the Iraqi army retakes control of Sunni-majority towns like Tikrit and Mosul, unjustifiable events like these do nothing but encourage young Sunni men, and even boys, to join ISIS for mere survival. The United States has removed its hand in these operations and is providing neither air nor ground support. Now backed and led by the Iranian army, the Iraqi army has become a renewed force for sectarian conflict.
What better option do Sunni Iraqis have if their only alternative is to endure occupation by men like these?
This post originally appeared on tarynonthenews.
