Baghdad: The Iraqi Intelligence Service denied on Saturday that a citizen was killed in Syria for sectarian reasons, stating that the Iraqi citizen died of a “heart attack.”

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Intelligence Service released a statement addressing rumors circulated on social media about the death of an Iraqi citizen in the Sayyida Zeinab area of Damascus, Syria. The statement revealed that a specialized task force, working in coordination with the Iraqi embassy in Syria, conducted extensive field investigations. The team interviewed eyewitnesses and examined the deceased’s body, confirming that the individual, born in 1952, suffered from chronic illnesses. The investigation found no evidence of assault or torture on the body.

The statement further detailed that the citizen passed away at his home on June 27 and was subsequently taken to Al-Sadr Hospital in the al-Sayyida Zeinab area. The hospital administration corroborated, through a medical report, that the cause of death was a heart attack.

The Intelligence Service emphasized the importance of accuracy in reporting by social media platforms and urged them to rely on official sources to maintain societal peace.