Iraqi forces kidnap former Governor of Kirkuk's Kurdish bodyguard

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Forces on Friday broke into the home of a Kurdish family in Kirkuk and abducted two brothers, Akam and Aziz Omer, the family of the abductees told Kurdistan 24.

According to the family, who live in the Rizgari (Huriya) district of Kirkuk Province, one of the brothers is an employee at the Azadi Hospital and owns a clinic, and the other one was a personal bodyguard for the dismissed Governor of Kirkuk, Najmaldin Karim.

“They offended our family and heavily assaulted our sons after breaking into the house,” one of the family members told Kurdistan 24.

“Up until this moment, we have no idea where they have taken our sons,” they added. “We urge those who are concerned to take serious action about the mistreatment of the Iraqi forces against Kurdish people in Kirkuk.”

Since the Oct. 16 invasion of Kirkuk by the Iranian-backed Hashd al-Shaabi Shia militias and Iraqi forces, similar incidents continue to take place in the province on a daily basis.

The disputed province was taken over by Baghdad and its pro-Iran militias following the Kurdistan Region’s historic independence referendum on Sep. 25 which received an overwhelming majority for secession from Iraq.

Abductions and random assassinations in the oil-rich province have led Kurds in the city to call for greater protection of their security, safety, and basic rights. 

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany