Court sentences six militants to death over killing 200 persons in attacks in 2017
Representational photo.
Speaking to Alghad Press, the source said “the criminal court in Dhi Qar Appeals sentenced six militants, who bombed the checkpoint, in a midnight in 2017, when around 200 citizens were killed and injured, to death.”
“All the suspects were Iraqi nationals,” the source added.
In September, militants, in military uniform, reportedly accessed a restaurant on the highway in west of the province and opened fire on people inside randomly. Iranion visitors were killed and injured. The militants then boarded two vehicles and headed to the checkpoint on borders between Dhi Qar and Muthanna provinces, where they blew up one of the vehicles leaving more casualties. The militant group claimed responsibility for the attack by then.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory over the militant group, previously in December, however, observers warn that the group still poses a security threat with sleeper cells.
Many IS members were detained during liberation battles that freed cities, which were recaptured by the militant group in 2014.
As many as 3,298 civilians were killed and 4,781 others were wounded in 2017, excluding Anbar civilian casualty figures for November and December, which are not available, UNAMI said in a report in December.