Iraqi court sentences two to death over killing of Turkish diplomat

ERBIL

The photo of slain Turkish diplomat Osman Köse during his funeral in Ankara, Turkey, on July 18, 2019. (AA Photo)

An Iraqi court has sentenced two suspects to death for the killing of a Turkish diplomat and two Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) citizens in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil.

The 2nd Criminal Court in Erbil sentenced two people to death over the killing of diplomat Osman Köse and two KRG citizens and handed down jail time for four more suspects in connection with the killings.

While one suspect received one year of imprisonment, the other three were slapped with two-year jail time, according to local media reports.

On July 17, 2019, Köse, who was serving at Turkey’s Consulate General in Erbil, was killed in an armed attack at a restaurant. Apart from the diplomat, two locals sitting at a nearby table were also killed.

In August, Turkish forces neutralized two PKK terrorists, who plotted the armed attack.