BAGHDAD
Sunnis do not trust Iraq’s central government, the country’s deputy president has claimed.
Usama al-Nujayfi – a prominent Sunni – made the claim on Tuesday, which coincides with the first anniversary of the fall of the northern province of Mosul to Daesh in 2014.
“Sunnis do not trust the government led by the Shia,” Nujayfi said. “Baghdad still continues its policy of politically targeting Sunnis.”
Iraq is a Shia Muslim-majority country.
Nujayfi said he was disappointed in the performance of Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi’s government and complained about a lack of effort to liberate Mosul, claiming that Baghdad’s failure had forced local people to establish camps to train volunteer fighters without support.
“Ninawah [province] will only be liberated by its sons and they are united in brigades ready to defend their land… they are waiting for weapons,” Nujayfi said, stating that it is the government’s responsibility to support volunteers.
He also blamed former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki and his close officers for the fall of Mosul.
Iraq was plunged into a security vacuum in June 2014 when Daesh stormed the northern province of Mosul and declared what it called a caliphate in Iraq and Syria.
