Vice President of Iraqi Olympic Committee kidnapped on Karbala-Baghdad road
Mustafa, a Kurd from the city of Duhok, was returning from Karbala after attending the funeral of a member of the Boxing Federation in the city.
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Vice President of the Iraqi Olympic Committee has been kidnapped on the Baghdad-Karbala road, Iraqi security sources said on Tuesday.
Bashar Mustafa, Vice President of the Olympic Committee in Iraq, and Head of the Boxing Federation, was kidnapped by unknown armed men while traveling from Karbala to Baghdad, al-Sumeriya news reported, citing security sources.
Mustafa, a Kurd from the city of Duhok, was returning from Karbala after attending the funeral of a member of the Boxing Federation in the city.
According to the security source, armed men wearing military uniforms set up a fake checkpoint on the Baghdad-Karbala road near the town of Musayyib where they kidnapped Mustafa and took him to an unknown location.
Speaking to Kurdistan 24 over the phone, head of the Iraqi Olympic Committee Raad Hamoudi confirmed the kidnapping of his deputy, stating the motive behind the abduction was unclear at the moment.
Security forces have opened investigations into the incident to find out who is behind the kidnapping, Hamoudi added, calling on all relevant authorities to follow-up on the matter and take it seriously.
Mustafa’s son, Ravan, told Kurdistan 24 his family was informed about the kidnapping after his father’s driver contacted them about the incident. Ravan said his father was a sports official who was not involved in politics.
Mustafa was previously abducted by unknown armed militiamen in 2009.
Editing by Karzan Sulaivany