Iraq PM marks Sayyida Zaynab massacre anniversary, pledges support for victims' families

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani marked the anniversary of the Sayyida Zaynab massacre on Thursday with a written statement, calling the June 12, 2014 attack one of the darkest crimes in Iraq's modern history. The attack, carried out by ISIS, targeted young army recruits. Sudani said the killings were a crime against humanity, the homeland and national values, and reaffirmed the government's commitment to safeguarding the legal and moral rights of the victims' families. He added that authorities are working to meet all the needs of those families. The prime minister credited Iraq's security forces for defeating terrorism and thwarting ISIS plans, and stressed that weapons should remain solely in the hands of the state's constitutional institutions. He also called for continued efforts to combat extremism and strengthen social peace. Sudani reiterated his government's commitment to building a strong state grounded in the rule of law and sustained economic development. He said the blood of the martyrs would reinforce national unity and that state institutions would be protected to prevent similar crimes from recurring.