Family dispute turns deadly in Tuz Khurmatu

SALAH AL-DIN — A long-standing family dispute turned deadly Friday evening when two cousins fatally shot a 28-year-old man near the entrance of Tuz Khurmatu district, local police said.

The victim, a Kurdish resident of Tuz Khurmatu and father of four, was returning from a trip near the Khidr Wali area when his cousins ambushed him and opened fire, police said. The killing reportedly stemmed from an escalating personal conflict.

Colonel Hamid Hussein Ali, head of Tuz Khurmatu’s general police, told 964media, “The shooter and the victim were cousins. This incident is the result of a long-standing family conflict. The victim had previously spent a month in prison for allegedly throwing a grenade at the suspect’s home. However, after a month in detention, the charges were dismissed, and the court released him.”

The fatal shooting occurred near the district gate, leaving the victim dead at the scene. Iraqi security forces subsequently launched a manhunt for the suspects. One attacker, driving a Toyota Camry, was arrested near Qader Karam crossroads, while a second suspect, who fled in a pickup truck, remains at large. Authorities are coordinating with Kurdistan security forces to locate him.

A separate police source told 964media that security forces surrounded the shooter’s home after the incident to prevent retaliation from the victim’s family or further attempts to flee.

The victim, identified by his initials R.A., was a 28-year-old resident of Khurmatu’s Komari neighborhood.