Karkh police arrest suspect seen firing shots in viral video

BAGHDAD — Baghdad’s Karkh Police Command said Monday it arrested a man accused of firing live rounds after appearing in a video circulated on social media.

Police said forces from Al-Salihiya station, supported by the 2nd Karkh Emergency Regiment and its intelligence unit, tracked and detained the suspect after “careful monitoring and gathering information.”

The man was handed over to Al-Salihiya police station for legal procedures, the statement said.

The command added that it will continue to monitor and respond to similar cases, warning that “strict measures” will be taken against anyone endangering citizens’ safety or stirring disorder.

This follows a similar incident yesterday as Karkh Police arrested two men accused of firing a handgun from a motorcycle in Baghdad after a video circulated on social media.

A joint security force conducted a large-scale search operation yesterday in the Husseiniya area of northern Baghdad to confiscate unlicensed weapons.

Decades of conflict have left Iraq awash in unlicensed weapons, fueling public calls for stronger enforcement. Last year, the Interior Ministry launched a firearm buyback program to reduce the number of illegal guns in circulation.