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Hundreds of civilians who escaped the Iraqi city of Ramadi after it was seized by ISIS in last week's bloody insurgency have been rounded up and arrested by Iraqi militia - because they were suspected of being terrorists in disguise.
New footage appears to show huge numbers of Iraqi refugees shackled in chains to one another and being led single-file through a desert region of Anbar province.
Reports suggest the civilians were arrested by members of an Iranian-backed Shi'ite militia group called Popular Mobilisation who control and police Baghdad.
More than 55,000 people fled Ramadi when Islamic State seized control of the city on May 17 and slaughtered around 500 in the process.
Chained: Shocking new footage appears to show hundreds of Iraqi refugees (pictured) who fled Ramadi being rounded up and arrested by militiamen
Arrest: The homeless Iraqis are chained together (pictured) and marched through a desert region of Anbar by members of a Shi'ite militia group who police Baghdad
Detained: They were arrested because they were suspected to be the ISIS militants they are trying to escape
Thousands of people who fled the bloody takeover of Ramadi this month have been stuck at Bzeibez bridge which connects Anbar to Baghdad for days having been barred from leaving Anbar.
Some were finally allowed into Iraq's capital city two days ago but restrictions on those fleeing violence in Anbar is forcing some to return straight back into dangerous conflict zones, one aid group has claimed.
Mark Schnellbaecher of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) said: 'Thousands of people fleeing Ramadi are stuck at checkpoints or being denied entry to safe areas.
'For some people, the situation has become so hopeless that they are returning to the conflict in Ramadi.
The IRC claims security checks on homeless families are inconsistent and some soldiers simply placed a blanket ban on men.
Escape: Stranded refugees (pictured) were eventually allowed to cross the bridge two days ago but the Shi'ite militia who police Baghdad suspected there could be ISIS fighters hiding among them
Fear: Iraqi refugees (pictured) have been forced to turn back into conflict zones like Ramadi because of the intense restrictions being put on their movements, one aid group said
Stranded: Thousands of people fleeing Ramadi (pictured) are stuck at checkpoints or being denied entry to safe areas, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) said
Schnellbaecher added: 'Security checks should never be arbitrary or discriminatory, and every effort should be made to keep families together.'
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These Shite militias are no better than ISIS.