Babil massacre increases demand to reform Iraqi security forces
Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi refers to the "heartbreaking massacre" and reinforces his commitment to security reform after 20 family members are killed based on specious charges.
BAGHDAD — A group of security forces raided a rural house in the village of Rashayed located in Babil province on Dec. 30, killing 20 members of the same family.
The father of the family, Rahim Kadhim al-Ghurairi, was initially accused of being part of a drug trafficking network and then of being affiliated with the Islamic State.
The event gained international media attention when an official from the Interior Ministry, Saad Maan, posted a video on Twitter showing the destroyed house of the dead family.
Soon after, however, it appeared that the attack was part of a family dispute, as Rahim’s brother-in-law used his personal influence within the security forces to settle a family score.
