Two suspects arrested in connection with the June 20 cemetery shooting in Najaf that left three dead and six injured. One was apprehended in Karbala and the other in Baghdad’s Sadr City, according to the Interior Ministry. (Photo: 964media)
Three killed
Two suspects arrested in deadly Najaf cemetery shooting
NAJAF — Iraqi security forces have arrested two suspects in connection with a deadly shooting at Wadi Al-Salam cemetery in Najaf that left three people dead and six others wounded, the Interior Ministry announced Thursday.
In a statement, the ministry said, “Our specialized security units, through a joint effort, managed to arrest two suspects involved in a brutal crime that resulted in the deaths of three citizens and the injury of six others.”
The attack occurred on June 20 during a commemoration at Wadi Al-Salam — one of the largest cemeteries in the world — when gunmen opened fire on a group of mourners. Initial investigations indicated that the victims were from the same tribe in Maysan governorate and that the shooting stemmed from a personal dispute.
A security source told 964media at the time that “gunmen used Kalashnikov rifles to fire at a group of women, children, and young men who were marking the 40th day after the death of a relative.” The attackers fled the scene immediately after the shooting.
One of the suspects was arrested in Karbala by a joint force from the Najaf and Karbala police departments. The main suspect was later apprehended in Baghdad’s Sadr City by a special operations team from the Rusafa Criminal Investigation Department, operating under the supervision of the Rusafa police commander, according to the ministry.
“We affirm that the hand of justice will reach anyone who dares to jeopardize the safety of citizens or disrupt social stability,” the ministry said, adding a renewed call for public cooperation with security forces and urging residents to report suspicious activity.
