Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi on Monday ordered dispatching a special anti-terror force backed by the army's air force to locate the Iraqi activist Sajjad al-Iraqi, who was kidnapped by a group of armed gunmen in the southern city of Nasiriyah.
Kadhimi’s orders came after the security forces and local police in Nasiriyah failed to free the activist three days after he was kidnapped.
“A force from the Anti-Terrorism Service was assigned to go to Dhi Qar governorate backed by army air forces to locate and free the kidnapped activist,” Iraq’s Security Media Cell said.
Dhi Qar Police Chief Hazem al-Waeli on Monday revealed new information about al-Iraqi’s kidnapping.
“Security forces were able to identify the kidnapper through the testimonies of eyewitnesses and al-Iraqi’s friends who were accompanying him during the time of the kidnapping,” al-Waeli said, adding that the police also used information retrieved from the tire tracks left behind by the abductor’s vehicle.
Al-Waeli confirmed that security forces started taking necessary measures regarding the case.
Al-Iraqi was kidnapped by seven gunmen mounting a pick-up truck on Saturday evening from the Al-Azirij neighborhood north of Nasiriyah.
One of al-Iraqi’s companions was shot, but he survived his wounds and identified the kidnappers.
Despite activists in Nasiriyah accusing al-Ibrahimi tribe of being behind the abduction, driven mainly by political aims, al-Waeli said that the motives behind the kidnapping remain unclear.
“We have no information about the reason for his kidnapping, we do not know that there are tribal problems, or problems with posting on Facebook, or maybe a fight took place on the same day, but we will know all of that after the kidnappers are arrested,” al-Waeli said.
Protesters took to the streets soon after news of the kidnapping broke out. Demonstrators blocked bridges crossing the Euphrates River and closed down the majority of official offices in an effort to pressure local authorities and the police to uncover the whereabouts of al-Iraqi.
