Shafaq News / The Head of the National Security Agency, Hamid al-Shatri, suspended the security director of Maysan governorate.

Apparently, the decision was made against the backdrop of the assassination of judge Ahmad Faisal al-Saedi, who specialized in narcotics-related cases.

Last week, Judge al-Saedi was driving back home in the city of Amara, the capital of Maysan, when unknown assailants blocked his route and sprayed his vehicle with bullets.

The judge specialized in drug-related cases sustained 15 gunshot wounds to the head and chest, according to sources.

In September, another anti-drug judge survived an assassination attempt in the same governorate.

Security in the area has deteriorated, fueled by tribal conflicts and political score-settling.

Security forces have intensified efforts to crack down on the trade, often announcing drug seizures and the arrest of traffickers.

The interior ministry’s anti-drug unit in December named Maysan and neighboring Basra as the "leading southern provinces in terms of trafficking and consumption."