Barood, a telephone operator for the privately owned TV station Al-Nahrain, and
Laith Al-Dulaimi, a reporter for the station, were kidnapped by men disguised
as police officers at Diyala Bridge while driving home to Mada’in, a town 12
miles (19 kilometers) southeast of Baghdad, Abdulkarim al-Mehdawi, the
station’s general manager told CPJ.
Their
bodies were discovered at al-Wihda district, 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of
their late 20s, were shot in the chest, al-Mehdawi told CPJ.
Barood worked at the
station since it was established just over a year and a half ago. Al-Dulaimi
became a reporter for Al-Nahrain four months ago. The motive behind the murders
is unclear. Al-Mehdawi told CPJ that neither the station nor the journalists
had ever received threats.