Skip to main content
Iraq - FRANCE

Alleged Iraqi war criminal arrested in France

An Iraqi refugee in France thought to be a former senior member of the Islamic State armed group has been arrested in Paris and indicted on suspicion of "war crimes" over his alleged involvement in a massacre in his country.

Shia-Muslim fighters in Tikrit in 2015
Shia-Muslim fighters in Tikrit in 2015 RFI/Angélique Férat
Advertising

The 33-year-old man, referred to as Ahmed H, is accused of having participated in the June 2014 capture and execution of an estimated 1,700 young army recruits, most of them Shia-Muslims, from the Speicher military camp to the north of Tikrit.

Ahmed H was arrested in March and indicted days later.

He denies any involvement.

The Paris prosecutor said the suspect was placed in pre-trial detention and faces a range of charges including "killings in connection with a terrorist group" and "war crimes".

Having arrived in France in the summer of 2016, Ahmed H obtained refugee status a year later and was given a 10-year resident card.

Shortly after being granted his refugee status, Ahmed H was identified and followed by intelligence services, who then notified judicial authorities.

Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning

Keep up to date with international news by downloading the RFI app

Share :
Page not found

The content you requested does not exist or is not available anymore.