On Sunday, Coalition forces in Iraq killed about 250-450 'cult members', at the behest of the Iraqi government. We, the British, contributed to the massacre, which, in relative-population terms, was equivalent to an Iraqi 9/11.
American Apache attack helicopters and F-16s, as well as British fighter jets, flew low over the farms where the enemy had set up its encampments and attacked, dropping 500-pound bombs on the encampments. [NYT]
Women and children are believed to have lived and died at the encampment. Reports yesterday suggested the leader, who was believed to be a herald of the Imam Mahdi, had been killed along with this followers - but the NYT is not so sure.
Iraqi officials said Monday that they had killed the leader of the militia in the weekend fighting, identifying him as a man who went by the name Ahmed Hassan al-Yamani, but whose real name was Diyah Abdul Zahraa Khadom. However, a Shiite cleric who has had contact with the group said the real leader was Ahmad bin al-Hassan al-Basri. The cleric said he believed that Mr. Basri was alive and probably hiding near Karbala.
I would have thought that, when faced with an apocalyptic cult, the last strategy to try would be to wreak apocalyptic violence upon its followers - it sort of reinforces the beliefs of the survivors. In addition, targeting religious groups, such as the Soldiers of Heaven, is considered genocide under international law. I'm lost for words.
Posted by: Travel Guy | 2008.01.19 at 23:42