Iraqi court sentences two to death over deadly Babil operation

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – An Iraqi court on Sunday sentenced two people to death by hanging for their role in a recent botched counterterrorism operation that led to the deaths of 20 people from the same family in rural Babil province.

On Dec. 30, rapid intervention units and intelligence forces stormed a house in al-Rasheed village, located in the Jableh area north of Hilla district in Babil, based on what the judiciary said was "false intelligence."

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As the house's owner opened fire on the security forces and refused to surrender, 20 family members were killed, the state news agency claimed.

The operation came after an "informant," the nephew and son-in-law of one of the victims, had given "false intelligence" to Iraqi forces that two wanted terrorists were hiding out on the property, the judiciary said.

On Sunday, the Babil Criminal Court had sentenced an officer and the nephew to death for their involvement in the tragedy, one source told Kurdistan 24. The judiciary confirmed the ruling shortly after.