Death Penalty Issued for Man Convicted of Killing Police Officer and Policeman During Baghdad Encroachment Removal Operation

The Karkh Criminal Court on Wednesday issued two death sentences against Mohammed Abdul Majeed Khalaf Al-Taie, after convicting him of killing Brigadier General Hisham Mohammed Tala’a and policeman Khalid Abbas Lafta while they were carrying out official duties in Baghdad’s southern Al-Dora district.

The Supreme Judicial Council said the convicted man opened fire on the two security personnel while they were part of a unit assigned to remove illegal encroachments and land violations in the area, resulting in their deaths.

According to the Council, the two sentences were issued under Article 406/1/A of Iraq’s amended Penal Code No. 111 of 1969.

The incident occurred in late August when a security force and service teams came under direct gunfire while carrying out an operation to remove residential encroachments in the Al-Dora, Karara and Hay Al-Dijla areas south of Baghdad. The attack also left four people injured, including security personnel and an employee of the Baghdad Municipality. Security forces later announced the suspect’s arrest two days after the incident.