Baghdad
Dozens of armed men dressed as police abducted more than 100 Iraqis from an Education Ministry building in Baghdad this week. Witnesses said the gunmen spared the women and the Shiite men, but bundled all the Sunni men into vans and drove them away, as real police looked on without interfering. It was the biggest mass kidnapping since the U.S. invasion, and it shocked the Iraqi government. "All Interior Ministry forces are on alert, searching for this group," said Abd al-Karim Khalaf, Interior Ministry spokesman. "We don't know if it's terrorists, militias, or even government forces." The Education Ministry closed all universities until further notice.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
The elite falcon trade in the Middle EastUnder the Radar Popularity of the birds of prey has been ‘soaring’ despite doubts over the legality of sourcing and concerns for animal welfare
-
A running list of the international figures Donald Trump has pardonedin depth The president has grown bolder in flexing executive clemency powers beyond national borders
-
Mixed nuts: RFK Jr.’s new nutrition guidelines receive uneven reviewsTalking Points The guidelines emphasize red meat and full-fat dairy
