WASHINGTON (AP) - Sectarian militias are increasing their profile in Iraq and recruiting members by providing much-needed assistance to families displaced by the war, according to the Washington-based advocacy group Refugees International.
In a report to be released on Tuesday, the group says that the Iraqi government's inability to provide basic services for its displaced citizens has attracted the attention of Sunni and Shiite militias, who are stepping in to provide food, oil, electricity, clothing and money.
"In need of an array of services, and often led by the desire to 'belong' to their new communities, increasing numbers of displaced men are now members of these armed groups," the report states.
According to the group, the militia led by anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has emerged as the largest unofficial "humanitarian" organization. The report compares the Sadrist movement to the terrorist group Hezbollah in the Middle East because it has established itself as a primary service provider in several Iraqi cities.
While less organized, Sunni militias play a similar role for displaced Sunnis, particularly in the distribution of heating gas and electricity, the report states.
The group says the Iraqi government should implement a better plan to address the humanitarian crisis with the U.S. providing technical expertise to relevant ministries. The United Nations also should improve access to affected areas in Iraq by building security agreements with local power holders, according to the report. |