The Iraqi Decision Alliance, headed by Vice President Osama al-Nujaifi, and the Baghdad Operations Command have exchanged accusations over the attempted murder of Sunni lawmaker Kamil al-Ghariri by assailants in Baghdad.
Ghariri said in a statement that his convoy was ambushed on Thursday night while passing through al-Saydiyeh area in southwestern Baghdad.
He claimed that civilians and members of the security forces tried to kidnap him and that the abductors clashed with his bodyguards for more than an hour.
“They removed my nephew’s eye with their dagger and assaulted my brother. They also caused injuries to me after attempting to kill me,” said Ghariri.
“Members of the police were cooperating with the gang” in the assault, he added.
The MP also claimed that the commanders of the Baghdad Operations Command and Baghdad Police failed to assist him.
But the Baghdad Operations Command denied that Ghariri had escaped an assassination attempt in al-Saydiyeh area.
“Those reports are untrue,” it said, claiming that one of the lawmaker’s bodyguards had tried to assault members of a police checkpoint.
“A security force arrested the attacker who was escorted to a security base (so that the) appropriate legal measures are taken against him," the statement added.
But the Iraqi Decision Alliance urged Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi for an “imminent” investigation into the incident.
“The members of organized crime continue to pose a security threat and undermine civil peace,” it said in a statement, a copy of which was obtained by Asharq Al-Awsat.
“Their danger is growing as members of security agencies collaborate with them rather than protecting citizens and keeping them safe,” the Alliance added.
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