Escaping Iraq

Last of Iraqis is one of the few Iraqi bloggers still in Iraq. In this post, he tells us the story of his efforts to get into neighbouring Jordan.

Video of killing of young woman in Mosul, Iraq

Mohammed, at Last of Iraqis, has put up a video apparently of a religiously motivated killing in Mosul, Northern Iraq last year.

Mohammed claims that the young woman, called Doa'a, ran off with a Muslim and converted to Islam. On her return, she was stoned to death by angry members of the Yazidi religion. Mohammed says he's got hold of the video of this killing.

(WARNING: The video on the post contains very disturbing pictures. But it does not play automatically when you open the link.)

According to Mohammed, the young woman was a member of the Yazidi religion. The Yazidis are mostly ethnic Kurds living in the Northern city of Mosul. (Tensions between the Yazidis and Muslims in this area were reported by the BBC in August and September 2007.)

There was some limited coverage of what may be the same incident at the end of this BBC report.

"Tensions between the Yazidi sect and local Muslims have grown since a Yazidi girl was reportedly stoned by her community in April for converting to Islam."

I've emailed Mohammed and am hoping to confirm that this refers to the same incident. Mohammed cannot guarantee the authenticity of the video but he's pretty sure its genuine from the dress of the people in the video.

Update
I've received a reply from Mohmamed and he believes the BBC report does refer to the same incident.

Shopping in Iraq: still proving deadly

The Baghdad dentist describes a near miss while on a routine shopping trip:

"I parked the car far from the supermarkets because there is no empty parking spot, and as I was getting out from the car a huge explosion happened, a car exploded. It was very near to me, in fact, it was the nearest explosion one could see without being dead.

The explosion took seconds but it was like years for me, I saw how the parts of the explosive car was flying in the air and landed on the floor to kill the people or destroy the cars, I saw how the windows' glass of the shops and houses have exploded, I saw the shells flying every where and the ball of fire swallowing everyone around it, I saw that young lady stroked in her back by a large shell (I think it was the door of the car), then there was the smoke that covered everything and the terrible silence, I can't be sure whether it was really that silent or it was my ears that couldn't hear a thing because of the loud explosion!

I was in shock, there was nothing on my mind for a moment, it seemed like time has stopped, I felt like I don't exist.Then there was a loud cry that got me back to reality..."

Some of his compatriots were not so fortunate. Read the full account here.