Kirkuk police arrest murder suspect within one hour

KIRKUK, Iraq — Police in Kirkuk detained a murder suspect less than an hour after the killing, which followed a dispute that began on social media and escalated into a fight, the Kirkuk Police Command said Sunday. In a statement, the command said patrols from the Tisin police station responded to a report, reached the scene and apprehended the suspect before he could flee. According to the initial investigation, the suspect confessed and was referred to judicial authorities under Article 406 of the Iraqi Penal Code. In a separate incident the same day, a source at the Kirkuk Health Directorate said a 21-year-old university student was stabbed by unidentified assailants in the Askari neighborhood and had his motorcycle stolen. The student was taken to hospital for treatment and was reported to be in stable condition. Security forces have opened an investigation to locate the robbery suspects, the source added. No further details were immediately available.