Iraqi Authorities Arrest Former Baathist Officials for War Crimes

PUKMEDIA

Iraqi National Security Service logo.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani announced the arrest of five high-ranking former Baathist officials linked to the execution of Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr, his sister, and thousands of Iraqis, including Kurdish citizens. The operation, carried out by the National Security Service, is part of Iraq’s ongoing effort to hold members of Saddam Hussein’s regime accountable.

Al-Sudani praised security forces for their commitment to justice, stating that Iraq will continue to pursue criminals, no matter how long they evade capture. National Security spokesman Arshad Al-Hakim confirmed the arrests were conducted in coordination with judicial authorities under the law banning the dissolved Baath Party.

Among those arrested is Major General Saadoun Sabri Jamil Al-Qaisi, who confessed to personally executing al-Sadr and his sister, as well as overseeing mass executions. The other detainees, all brigadier generals, are accused of leading campaigns of torture, forced disappearances, and executions. Their crimes include the suppression of Kurdish Faylee citizens, the execution of Kurdish detainees in Baghdad, and the persecution of students at Sulaymaniyah University.

The Iraqi government reaffirmed its commitment to seeking justice for all victims of the former regime, vowing to continue efforts to track down and prosecute those responsible for past atrocities.




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