UN urges Iraq to rein in 'death squads'

The UN human rights office in Iraq said in a report on Thursday that it had received serious allegations about elements in the police and special forces and "their apparent collusion with militias in carrying out human rights violations".

Allegations that death squads operate in the country had grown stronger after the discovery by US-led forces and the Iraqi security forces in January of a suspicious group operating within the Iraqi interior ministry, it said.

Twenty-two men, dressed as special police commandos, were caught when driving with a man who was allegedly about to be executed, it said.

"This reaffirms the urgent need for the government to assert control over the security forces and all armed groups," the UN report said.

Summary executions

Numerous summary executions had taken place in and around Baghdad during the period, reportedly by armed militias, thereby further fuelling sectarian tensions and violence, it said.

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http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/117BC38E-1187-4075-B7F4-CCCD001AB620.htm