Kirkuk: An eleven-year-old boy, Haidar Muhannad al-Hantou, was tragically killed by a stray bullet during an Eid outing near his home on the banks of the Tigris River in Brij village, located in the Hawija district of Kirkuk.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the incident occurred when a security officer affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) allegedly fired a stray bullet at the Al-Fatha checkpoint near the area, resulting in the child’s instant death. The child’s cousin reported the unfortunate event, which has left the village community in shock.

Nader Nasser, who carried the boy’s body during the funeral in the normally peaceful village of Brij, expressed his dismay at the incident, questioning how a security officer, tasked with protecting the people, could cause such harm. Nasser called for justice and demanded the harshest punishment for the officer involved.

The Director of security for the Popular Mobilization Forces in the northern region, Abu Jaafar al-Daraji, has taken swift action by ordering the officer to be handed over to the police for legal accountability. The victim’s father, Haider Al-Hantou, a member of the Iraqi army, was on duty during the incident and the subsequent funeral, adding to the family’s grief.