Two suspects arrested in killing of 3-year-old in Kirkuk

KIRKUK, Iraq — Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping and killing of a 3-year-old child in Kirkuk, a police source said on Tuesday. The operation was carried out under the direct supervision of Kirkuk Police Director Brigadier General Fath Mahmut al-Hafaji. According to the source, the arrests followed coordinated work between the Ministry of Interior's Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism Directorate and Kirkuk Intelligence Director Brigadier General Muhammad Ismail. Officers from the Adil Neighborhood Police Station conducted the operation, in which both suspects were taken into custody. The suspects are accused of abducting and killing the child near the June 1 Youth Center in the Waziran area of Kirkuk. The source said their confessions have been recorded and that legal proceedings against them have begun. The source added that the investigation remains ongoing and that the necessary legal process will be carried out by the relevant authorities. No further details were immediately available.