IRAQ: In absence of police, vigilantes take to the streets

IRIN

Muhammad Azawi, 58, wakes up early every morning and joins fellow vigilantes to patrol their Yarmouk neighbourhood of Baghdad. "Our mission is to keep peace in our neighbourhood. We keep in contact with the other vigilantes in the neighbourhood to make sure there is no danger. Should something untoward happen, we start putting our defence mechanisms in motion," Azawi said, a retired fireman and father of five. With an increase in sectarian violence in Baghdad and a lack of effective policing, ordinary citizens have been forced to find their own ways of protecting their loved ones...

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