BAGHDAD (AP) – Iraqi government forces drove the Islamic State group out of Abu Mustafa’s hometown of Tikrit over a month ago, but he has yet to return, fearing the Shiite militias that now patrol its bombed and battered streets.
The well-off businessman, who fled to Iraq’s relatively secure Kurdish region before the operation began, has heard of widespread looting and vandalism, including of his own property. And he’s heard that the militiamen are exacting revenge on Sunnis like himself, viewing them as sympathizers of the extremist group.
Shiite militia commanders deny such allegations, and have called on the Sunni residents of Tikrit to return. But of the hundreds of thousands who fled, only a tiny fraction have come back, complicating the government’s efforts to restore normal life and bridge the country’s sectarian divide.
Abu Mustafa, who asked that his full name not be used for fear of retribution, said he was eager to return home with his 10-member family. They have been living in a rented apartment in the northern city of Sulaimaniyah since early March.
“We were optimistic about the involvement of the Shiite militias in the battle for Tikrit, but this turned to shock after hearing about the misdeeds they committed,” the 66-year-old food wholesaler said. “For now, I doubt that my family will be safe if we return to the city.”