IRAQ ATROCITIES

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20937, 18 August 1933, Page 9

IRAQ ATROCITIES

Reprisals Against Rebels PRISONERS SHOT WITHOUT TRIAL (csrcnu PRESS ASSUCUTIOy—3T ELECTRIC TEIEG3APH —COPYRIGHT.) LONDON, August 16. Tiie massacre of innocent Syrians in Iraq took place near Sirrel. A British official visited several adjacent villages, which were filled with . panic-stricken women and children, and counted 315 dead. Within two miles of the local headquarters of the Iraq Army many were apparently killed by the socalled irregular police. . There is scarcely any doubt that Syrian rebels who entered Iraq territory in July were responsible for the trouble. They promised to surrender their arms, but the small Iraq detachment did not attempt to disarm them, so the rebels attacked and destroyed it. The Northern Iraq commander made the first reprisal by ordering a dozen Syrian prisoners to be shot without trial, excusing himself on the score of the indignation caused by the alleged mutilation of the dead.

The British Charge d'Affairs at Bagdad has requested King Feisal to prevent such severities.

BRITISH ANXIETY

IKAQ GOV ERN MENT' S SLOWNESS LONDON, August 16. Mr Ramsay Mac Donald is returning to London from Lossiemouth. It understood that his sudden dash to London is due to the Government's increasing anxiety concerning the Iraq massacres. There is difficulty in getting Iraq to expedite action against the offenders, and there are growing fears that delay will prejudicially affect the Syrian levies, which are guarding British aerodromes in Iraq.

UNHAPPY POSITION OF SYRIANS IHAQ GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE (Received August 17. 11.55 p.m.; LONDON, August 17. The "Manchester Guardian," referring to the Syrian massacre, says that thei-e are about 40,000 Syrians, half of whom are homeless and the others scattered about in temporary villages in the arid mountain area north of Mosul. They were bitterly disappointed when Geneva failed to safeguard them as a community when Iraq was given its independence. The crux of the matter is, the newspaper says, that the Syrians want an assurance that they will be allowed to live together for their own protection, and ruled by their owii archbishop. On that condition they will lay down their arms and swear loyalty to King FeisaL The Iraq Government, however, demands their submission upon whatever conditions the Government may impose.