Iraq has set up commissions to investigate the killing of a prominent armed groups expert in Baghdad, after Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The Interior Ministry ordered the formation of a committee that includes intelligence officials, the official INA news agency reported.
Hisham al-Hashemi, a 47-year-old expert on extremist groups and militias, was shot on Monday night near his house in eastern Baghdad and died shortly after. Al-Hashemi’s work focused on extremist groups and other militias in Iraq.
Iraq’s Higher Judiciary Council formed another committee made up of three judges and a member of the prosecution, saying it will investigate al-Hashemi’s and other assassinations in the country and will work closely with the Interior Ministry.
Television channels aired surveillance footage allegedly showing the killing.
Four men on two motorbikes were seen waiting in the street, until al-Hashemi arrived in his car. While parking, one gunman approaches the car and fires several shots at the driver.
Prime Minister al-Kadhimi mourned al-Hashemi, vowing he will spare no effort to limit the use of arms in the country.
The killing comes as al-Kadhimi, who took office two months ago, tries to organise paramilitary groups, who have been part of the fight against Islamic State, so they would only operate as part of government security bodies.
Al-Hashemi, who was an adviser to the Iraqi government, focused his work on extremism groups.
He also repeatedly criticised the militia in the country as well as corruption among the political elite.