Kurdish authorities delaying civilians fleeing Daesh — HRW

BAGHDAD — Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Wednesday accused Kurdish authorities of delaying thousands of Iraqi civilians fleeing from extremist-held areas at checkpoints, in some cases within range of frontlines.

The New York-based rights group said the delays, some lasting weeks or months, were not only increasing the hardships of civilians but also putting their lives at risk as Iraqi forces battle the Daesh terror group.

“These families have lived for years under the horrific abuses of [Daesh], months with limited food, water, and medicine, and have just risked their lives trying to get to safety,” Lama Fakih, HRW’s deputy Middle East director, said in a statement.

“Delaying people fleeing ISIS from reaching safety and getting the help they need is inhumane,” she said, using an alternative acronym for Daesh.

HRW said Kurdish peshmerga forces in Iraq were holding up civilians at checkpoints after they had fled two Daesh-held cities in northern Iraq, Hawija and Tal Afar.

In some cases the checkpoints — which Kurdish authorities say are essential to screen for potential extremists — were still within shelling range of the Daesh group territory.