Members of a “death squad” that killed several Iraqi activists were arrested on Monday, Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi said, as the government attempts to clamp down on assassinations.
The government has been under pressure to find and punish the killers of activists calling for reforms, with public concern mounting over the frequency of these attacks.
"The death squad who terrorised our people in Basra, and killed innocents, are now in the hands of our heroic forces, on their way to a fair trial," Mr Al Kadhimi said on Twitter.
The identity of the group was not made public.
Among the dozens of people killed was journalist Ahmed Abdessamad, 37, and his cameraman Safaa Ghali, 26, who had been covering anti-government protests in their home town of Basra. They were shot dead in their car last January while parked near a police station.
Abdessamad was a vocal supporter of the anti-government rallies that erupted across south Iraq in October 2019.
Jinan Madzi, a paramedic who treated wounded protesters, was shot dead during anti-government demonstrations in Basra in the same month.
Riham Yaqoob, a doctor and female activist who became the face of the protests in Basra, was killed in August.
A few weeks after her death, the killing of another activist, Tahseen Osama, pushed protesters take to the streets to demand that authorities find those responsible.
“We got the killers of Jinan and Abdessamad, and we will get the killers of Riham, Hisham, and all others,” Mr Al Kadhimi said, referring to Hisham Al Hashimi, an Iraqi security analyst who was shot dead outside his home in Baghdad last June.
"Justice will not sleep,” Mr Al Kadhmi said.
Al Hashimi's death dealt a huge blow to the country’s academic, social and security institutions.
Born in Baghdad in 1973, he was a well-respected expert who wrote extensively about ISIS and Al Qaeda, including three books, and advised the current and past governments on terrorism and extremist groups.
He was also a strong supporter of the anti-government movement.
Mr Al Kadhimi, the former head of Iraq's intelligence services, took office last May, five months after his predecessor, Adel Abdul Mahdi, resigned in the face of anti-government protests in Baghdad and other southern cities.
He promised to bring to justice those behind the assassinations but so far there have been no public arrests or trials.
In October 2019, thousands of Iraqis took to the streets venting their anger at the government’s inability to provide adequate public services, employment opportunities, kicking out foreign interference and to combat corruption.
They demanded an overhaul of the political system, which allocates positions to parties based on ethnic and sectarian identities, encouraging patronage and corruption.
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
