On Saturday, gunmen abducted 12 civilians in the city of Balad and shot eight of them dead. Saladin’s governor said the crime was committed by a group of people in military uniform.
On Sunday, the PMU, also known as Hashd al-Shaabi, condemned the brutal attack and said evidence shows that Daesh was behind it.
Iraq’s prime minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, on Sunday pledged to provide protection to local residents in the northern Saladin province, a day after the killing.
Following the incident, al-Kadhimi ordered an investigation of security officials’ failure to provide security.