"False information" kills 20 members of an Iraqi family

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The Iraqi judiciary announced that "incorrect information" from an informant as a result of a "family dispute" was behind a security operation in the center of the country, which ended with the death of 20 people from one family.

In addition to the informant, the investigation includes "nine officers and three associates" in the security forces, in connection with the tragedy that occurred in a village in the Babil province, as the Iraqi News Agency quoted a statement issued by the Supreme Judicial Council.

A specialized investigative judge listened to the statements of the 13 men and approved them, according to the statement.

The tragedy occurred Thursday in the village of Rashaid in the central province of Babylon, when a joint force of intelligence and special missions raided a house, searching for two wanted men believed to be accused of "terrorism".

The statement stated that the nephew of one of the victims, who is his daughter-in-law at the same time, provided "false news as a result of family disputes between them, as he gave incorrect information to the security services, claiming the presence of wanted terrorists ... to have his house raided by the security services."

The statement stated that investigations are continuing in the case, as four arrest warrants have been issued for other defendants.

On the night of the incident, the Iraqi News Agency quoted the local security authorities in Babylon as saying in a statement that the death toll was "20 civilians", all from the same family, and that the owner of the raided house "shot at the security force" and "refused to surrender."

On Friday, the Iraqi Ministry of Interior dismissed the police chief of Babel Governorate over the incident, while the Iraqi security forces announced the arrest of a number of officers without details of their identities.

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