Family of three killed in Baiji home before house set ablaze

SALAH AL-DIN — A family of three was killed in their home in Baiji, Iraq, on Tuesday night before their house was set on fire, local authorities reported Wednesday.

The victims, identified as Safaa Shakir Hamid Al-Janabi, his wife, and their son Mustafa, were found bound, stabbed, and strangled inside their residence in the Asriya district of Baiji, Salah Al-Din Governorate. The crime was discovered early Wednesday morning when municipal workers noticed smoke billowing from the house, according to a statement from Adel Al-Dujaili, the district commissioner of Baiji.

“The attack likely took place the night before, as food dishes were found near the bodies, suggesting the family was targeted during their evening meal,” the statement said.

“The victims had no known conflicts in the area and were respected members of the community,” Al-Dujaili added. “They even have a martyr among them from the battles for liberation.”

Badar Mahmoud Fahl, the governor of Salah Al-Din, announced today that the investigation into the brutal murder of the family in Baiji is ongoing. As a result of the incident, the police chief of Baiji has been removed from his position.

“The police chief of Baiji failed to maintain the required security and stability in the district, which necessitated his removal,” Fahl stated. He also indicated that a high-level security meeting will be held in the coming hours in Salah Al-Din Governorate to discuss the incident further and address the rising concerns over security in the region.

Kawa Mohammed, a security adviser for Salah Al-Din Governorate, confirmed that the incident is under investigation. He said initial findings indicate the crime was not related to terrorism but rather a local social conflict.

“This was a criminal act, and we are actively working to uncover the motives and identify those responsible,” Mohammed said. “The area has been sealed off by security forces as a search for the perpetrators is underway.”

This attack comes just days after a similar incident on Aug. 19 in the governorate when gunmen, dressed in military garb, stormed a home in the Abbasiyah area of Samarra. Five family members, including three children, were killed before the attackers set the house on fire and fled in an unknown direction, a security source reported.

This article has been updated to include comments from Badar Mahmoud Fahl