Source: Rise in suicides in Muthanna linked to Qurban religious sect

Shafaq News/ A well-informed local source in Muthanna governorate revealed on Tuesday a sharp rise in suicide cases attributed to the influence of the "Qurban" religious sect.

According to the source, since the beginning of this year, Muthanna has recorded more than 40 suicides, most of them among young people in the northern areas of Samawa. "In the past three months, the governorate has witnessed an unprecedented wave of suicides among young people," the source said.

In response, security forces have launched a widespread campaign against the group, resulting in the arrest of dozens of its members.

"Following the security crackdown, the governorate has seen a marked decrease in suicides over the past two weeks, contrasting sharply with the previous weeks, during which more than three suicides were recorded weekly among youths associated with the Qurban movement," the source said.

On Monday, the Iraqi National Security Service (INSS) announced that it had apprehended 47 individuals linked to the banned Qurban organization in four governorates.

"As part of our ongoing efforts to address deviant movements, specifically the Qurban group, our teams in Muthanna arrested 20 members of this group, including an individual known as 'Al-Arif,' a term used for the group's theorists or propagandists."

The Agency further revealed that its Dhi Qar, Wasit, and Maysan teams also arrested 27 additional group members.

In the last two months, the Iraqi authorities arrested tens related to the group.

The Qurban sect, also known as the "Allahiyah," is a controversial and clandestine religious group that has attracted attention in Iraq, especially in the southern governorate of Dhi Qar. This sect advocates unconventional beliefs and practices, including self-sacrifice or "offering oneself" in religious ceremonies.

The extremist group was founded during the tenure of the late religious leader Mohammed Mohammed Sadiq al-Sadr, who distanced himself from the sect. Additionally, the group is not recognized by any mainstream Muslim sect.

The Qurban sect venerates Imam Ali Bin Abi Taleb and performs a ritual involving a lottery to select an individual to be offered as a sacrifice.