Iraqi Interior Ministry denies social media video of street kidnapping, says footage is not from Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Interior Ministry said on Wednesday that viral social media footage purporting to show security forces rescuing a young man abducted in the middle of a street does not depict an incident in Iraq. In a written statement, the ministry said video clips circulating on social media platforms showed what appeared to be a group seizing a young person on a street, with security personnel intervening to free him. The ministry said competent authorities had examined the material and determined that the video was not filmed in Iraq. It added that the footage does not reflect any event that occurred in the country. The statement urged citizens and media outlets to verify information before sharing it and to confirm news through official sources. The ministry called on the public to rely on official statements to prevent the spread of misleading content. No further details were immediately available.