At around 1 p.m. on June 16, 2014, while on his way back from taking passengers to Baghdad in his taxi cab, Ahmed was stopped and arrested by a number of masked officers dressed in military clothes at a checkpoint close to Musayib’s main bus station.
Fifteen minutes after Ahmed’s arrest, at 1.15 p.m., a group of 15 military officers, some in military uniforms and masks, arrived at Ahmed’s brother Mohammed’s home. Mohammed was ill and in bed at the time. Eight of the military officers entered the house and went into the room where Mohammed was resting. They beat him, tied his hands and blindfolded him, and forced him into their Chevrolet Silverado, before driving towards an unknown location.
It is believed that Ahmed and Mohammed were arrested by officers from Division 8 Brigade 31, 1st and 4th Regiment as well as the 1st Brigade Reconnaissance Battalion of the Iraqi Army.
On the day of their arrests, Ahmed and Mohammed’s family visited Al Hamia military camp, which was under the control of Division 8 Brigade 31 of the Iraqi Army, to enquire about their fate and whereabouts. Officials from the camp confirmed that they were being held on site, and informed the family that they were required for interrogation and would be taken to Al Hamia police station after this was completed. However, when Ahmed and Mohammed’s family visited Al Hamia police station later the same day, officers denied having any information about them. Ahmed and Mohammed’s family then returned to the camp again to ask after them, but this time they were told that they had been taken to an unspecified location.
Ahmed and Mohammed’s fate and whereabouts remains unknown to date.
