The headquarters of the Najaf Court of Appeal.
Najaf court sentences man to death in fatal shooting linked to cattle dispute
NAJAF — A court in Najaf has sentenced a man to death for fatally shooting a young man and wounding three others, including the victim’s father and brother, following a dispute that began when cattle entered the defendant’s orchard, according to a court source.
The Najaf Criminal Court issued the death sentence on Sunday against the convicted man, who, along with his son whose case has been separated, opened fire on the victims in a village in Al-Qadisiyah subdistrict of Najaf governorate.
“The court issued a sentence of death by hanging against a convict who, along with his son whose case was separated, opened fire, killing a citizen and injuring the victim’s father, brother and a passerby,” a source at the Najaf Criminal Court told 964media.
The source said the dispute started after cattle belonging to the victim entered the defendant’s orchard and ate dates that had fallen to the ground.
According to the source, the argument escalated into an armed confrontation, resulting in the shooting.
The case stems from an incident reported on Nov. 15, 2025, when security forces in Souq Shalan police station received a report that a man in Al-Qadisiyah had opened fire on a family following a dispute involving a cow entering his farm.