IS executes rights activist in Iraq

Baghdad, Sep 24 (IANS/EFE) The Islamic State (IS) Sunni extremist group executed rights activist Samira Saleh Ali al-Neaimi in a central square of north Iraq’s Mosul city Tuesday, a week after she was detained for her criticism of the jihadi group.

Al-Neaimi’s arrest came after she condemned the demolition of religious shrines as “barbaric”, Efe quoted a source in Mosul as saying.

IS militants shot the activist in public in the centre of Mosul after declaring her guilty of apostasy and offences against the IS.

Al-Neaimi’s body was handed over to her family, but they were not allowed to hold a funeral for her.

Since the IS seized control of Iraq’s second-largest city in June, numerous scientists, intellectuals, politicians and security officials have been summarily executed by the jihadis.

The security situation in Iraq began to drastically deteriorate since June 10 when bloody clashes broke out between Iraqi security forces and hundreds of IS militants. The group took control of Mosul and later seized swathes of territory after the Iraqi security forces abandoned their posts in Nineveh and other predominantly Sunni provinces.

The extremist group has committed heinous crimes and threatened all communities, including Shias, Sunnis, Kurds, Christians and Yazidis, during its advances.