An Eye for an Eye Will Only Make the Whole World Blind

The ISIS threat in Iraq has left the Iraqi government to turn to local militias to help combat ISIS. In a desperate move by the Iraqi government, local Shia militias funded and supported by the government are a major commandant against ISIS. The consequence to the support of Shia militias has put the lives of Sunni civilians in danger. Since ISIS is Sunni and is committing acts of genocide on Shia and other non-Sunni groups, revenge killings are happening to Sunni civilians. The militias are kidnapping and killing Sunni civilians as retaliation for ISIS  attacks. What is more concerning about this is the fact that the local government is not only supporting them but actually funding and arming them. There is no oversight by the government on the militias who turn are free to operate as long as they are helping fight ISIS. Sunni civilians are being dragged out of homes and disappearing. Mass graves are discovered with bodies handcuffed and with gunshots in the head suggesting execution style killings.  These revenge killings signifies increase power these militia groups are gaining since the crumbling of the Iraqi army after IS  advances. The militias have become the major combatant against IS than the actual army which has given them power to operate without a legal framework and oversight. Thousands of militiamen and growing are operating with no consequences for civilian killings. This is splitting Iraq even more between the various religious and ethnic groups. The Iraqi government should feel responsible and held accountable to the acts of the militias. Instead of arming these groups they should regroup their army which has a legal framework and follow a chain of command. There can be a point of no return where the militias will not listen to government and operate freely and commence another crisis in the future. The Iraqi government must act swiftly now before its too late.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29603272