NDP condemns violence perpetrated by ISIL in Iraq

The NDP is appalled by the violence in Iraq perpetrated by the terrorist organization Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), including mass killings, sexual violence, forced displacement, and the destruction of holy sites.

“The brutality of ISIL is shocking,” said NDP Foreign Affairs Critic Paul Dewar. “These assaults on human rights and freedoms of religion, belief, and association are disturbing and reprehensible.”

ISIL has targeted Iraqi civilians and soldiers for abuses, including mass killings and sexual violence, and has forced thousands of Christians and ethnic minorities to flee their homes in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. The group has also destroyed numerous shrines, churches, and other places of worship sacred to the Islamic and Judeo-Christian traditions.

“The ongoing crisis in Iraq seriously jeopardizes regional peace and stability,” added Dewar. “The Government of Canada must work with international partners to support the development of responsible, peaceful, and democratic governance in Iraq, and combat the threat posed by ISIL and other militant groups.”