Iraqi officer wanted for involvement in al-Nasiriyah massacre arrested in Mecca
Shafaq News/ An Iraqi officer wanted in connection with the deadly 2019 al-Nasiriyah massacre has been arrested in Mecca while performing the Umrah pilgrimage, a well-informed source told Shafaq News Agency on Monday.
The source revealed that Saudi security forces apprehended Major Omar Nizar, and the public prosecution has referred his case to state security.
Nizar, a member of Iraq's Quick Response Forces (QRF), was convicted in absentia for his role in the massacre and sentenced to life imprisonment. However, Iraq's Chief Justice Faiq Zeidan overturned the verdict and ordered Nizar's release due to insufficient evidence.
A judicial source in Dhi Qar had previously confirmed on June 26, 2023, that a court had issued a verdict against Major Omar Nizar in connection with the massacre. The source told Shafaq News Agency that the Dhi Qar Criminal Court sentenced Nizar to life imprisonment under Article 406 of the Iraqi Penal Code No. 111 of 1969, as amended.
The notorious massacre in Dhi Qar's capital city was a series of systematic killings targeting Iraqi protesters between November 28 and 30, 2019. The crime resulted in the deaths of approximately 70 people and left over 225 injured on November 28 alone. On November 30, another 15 protesters were killed and 157 wounded. The massacre led to the dismissal of General Jameel al-Shammari from his position as head of the crisis cell tasked with addressing the situation in the southern governorates.
On November 29, 2019, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi announced his intention to resign to parliament, while Governor of Dhi Qar Adel al-Dukhayli and Commander of Dhi Qar Police Muhammad Zeidan al-Quraishi both resigned on the same day. Al-Quraishi had issued an order to withdraw all security forces to their headquarters and prevent the firing of live ammunition before his resignation. However, these resignations failed to calm the protesters, as killings continued in al-Nasiriyah and Najaf. Subsequently, the Iraqi parliament voted on December 1 to dismiss Abdul Mahdi, who had submitted his resignation to Iraqi Parliament Speaker Muhammad al-Halboosi on November 30, 2019.
