Iraq's interior minister summoned dozens of journalists today to partially blame them for security force setbacks amid the war against the Islamic State group, laying bare the Baghdad's Shiite-led government sensitivity to criticism.
The comments by Mohammed Salem al-Ghabban, in charge of Iraq's police, come after Reuters bureau chief recently left the country after threats against him by Shiite militias over a story about abuses and looting following the capture of Tikrit.
Al-Ghabban also suggested blame for the collapse of Iraqi forces last summer in the initial onslaught by the extremists, who hold a third of Iraq and Syria in their self-declared caliphate, also lay at the feet of journalists.
"Most of the security collapses that took place were due to psychological warfare," he told gathered journalists. "The media has a major role in creating this feeling among the people."
Propaganda by Islamic State militants, including their slickly produced online videos of mass killings and other atrocities, has been a major preoccupation of the government lately. Both Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Defense Minister Khalid al-Obeidi denouncing it in front of parliament Tuesday.
Several journalists present at the meeting told the minister he was blaming journalists for the government's own security setbacks. They also blamed the government for never releasing timely information on the battles going on around the country.
Iraqi forces recently suffered reverses during fighting around Ramadi and north of Fallujah in Anbar province, which the government claims was exaggerated by the media.
Al-Ghabban also dismissed complaints over the harassment of journalists as isolated incidents and promised the ministry would be more forthcoming with news.
"You should not concentrate on negative things, you should concentrate on positive topics, there are many positive topics," he said.
Meanwhile, bombs around Baghdad claimed the lives of at least eight people, including some Shiite militiamen, police said. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to release information to journalists.
