Traffic police personnel stand over a man beside a truck in Najaf governorate. The incident prompted an Interior Ministry investigation. Photo circulated online.
Interior Ministry detains three Najaf traffic officers over alleged assault
NAJAF — Iraq’s Interior Ministry has ordered the detention of a traffic police officer and two other personnel in Najaf governorate and launched an urgent investigation into allegations that they assaulted a citizen, the ministry said Wednesday.
Senior Deputy Interior Minister Hussein al-Awadi ordered the three from Najaf Traffic Directorate held pending legal proceedings and formed an investigative committee to determine responsibility. A video recorded by a bystander and circulated on social media appears to show several traffic police personnel gathered around a man on the ground beside a large truck at a roadside.
The footage drew public attention and prompted the ministry’s response. The official statement did not detail the circumstances of the incident.
Al-Awadi said the ministry “will not tolerate any behavior that violates the dignity of citizens or exceeds the limits of the law” by its personnel, adding that security forces exist to protect citizens and that the law applies equally to everyone.