Six Kurdish policemen, presidential guards abducted by Shiite militia
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - In two separate incidents six Kurdish policemen and presidential guards were abducted since Friday by Shiite militiamen near the town of Amirli in Diyala province, local officials said.
A Kurdish police official in Kirkuk told Rudaw that three policemen traveling to Baghdad were kidnapped at a security checkpoint in Amirli.
"On their way to Baghdad, three policemen from Erbil were [stopped] at a checkpoint of the [Shiite militiamen] Hashd al-Shaabi and they are still missing," he said.
Nasradin Ahmed, the brother of one of the abducted policemen confirmed the news to Rudaw saying "the three policemen were guards at the Erbil Customs department."
Ahmed said the reason the missing policemen were visiting Baghdad was because their "manager had earlier flown to Baghdad," and they wanted to join him there.
In another incident on Friday three Kurdish guards of the Iraqi President Fuad Masum were abducted on their way home from Baghdad by gunmen near Amirli.
Relatives of the missing Kurdish guards accuse the Shiite militiamen of abducting their sons, calling on the Iraqi president to conduct immediate investigations.
"We are calling on the president to show his stance since it is not the first time such kind of incidents take place," said Anjam Ismail, a relative of one of the guards.
"They are not ISIS militants, they are guards and part of this government, why should they kidnap their partners!" the cousin of another missing guard said.
Nine months ago, another four Kurdish guards of the Iraqi president were abducted on the same road and that their fate is still unknown.
A Kurdish police official in Kirkuk told Rudaw that three policemen traveling to Baghdad were kidnapped at a security checkpoint in Amirli.
"On their way to Baghdad, three policemen from Erbil were [stopped] at a checkpoint of the [Shiite militiamen] Hashd al-Shaabi and they are still missing," he said.
Nasradin Ahmed, the brother of one of the abducted policemen confirmed the news to Rudaw saying "the three policemen were guards at the Erbil Customs department."
Ahmed said the reason the missing policemen were visiting Baghdad was because their "manager had earlier flown to Baghdad," and they wanted to join him there.
In another incident on Friday three Kurdish guards of the Iraqi President Fuad Masum were abducted on their way home from Baghdad by gunmen near Amirli.
Relatives of the missing Kurdish guards accuse the Shiite militiamen of abducting their sons, calling on the Iraqi president to conduct immediate investigations.
"We are calling on the president to show his stance since it is not the first time such kind of incidents take place," said Anjam Ismail, a relative of one of the guards.
"They are not ISIS militants, they are guards and part of this government, why should they kidnap their partners!" the cousin of another missing guard said.
Nine months ago, another four Kurdish guards of the Iraqi president were abducted on the same road and that their fate is still unknown.