Iraqi man linked to banned religious group commits suicide in Najaf

Shafaq News/ A young Iraqi man in his twenties affiliated with a controversial religious group hanged himself near the Imam al-Mahdi shrine in Najaf on Friday, a security source said.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the young man was born in al-Akeika sub-district of Dhi Qar. Authorities sent his body to forensics for autopsy and legal procedures.

The security source linked the suicide to the al-Qurban group, known for its presence in Dhi Qar. He suggested the group might have dispatched the man to carry out the ritual by an al-Qurban member in Najaf.

In April, security sources connected a string of suicides in Dhi Qar to the group, whose followers reportedly view Imam Ali bin Abi Talib as a deity.

Last May, a local source in Dhi Qar told Shafaq News Agency said a group member committed suicide by hanging himself inside a Husseini procession tent, sparking fear among residents.

"This group claims to worship Imam Ali," the source said. "They reportedly draw lots, and whoever's chosen becomes a 'sacrifice' to the Imam." The source added that three such suicides had occurred in the same location, south of Nasiriyah.