Al-Kadhimi to visit turbulent Maysan in the aftermath of Judge Faisal killing

Shafaq News/The Iraqi caretaker Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, will reportedly visit the precarious governorate of Maysan, later today, Tuesday.

"Upon his arrival to Amara, Maysan's capital city, the Prime Minister will hold an expanded meeting with the commanders in charge of the southern governorate's security," a source said, "he will also meet the bereaved family of Judge Ahmed Faisal."

Al-Kadhimi's visit comes in the aftermath of Judge Faisal killing on Saturday evening in the area infamously known as a trafficking hub.

The magistrate specialized in narcotic-related cases was heading home in Amara when a group of unknown assailants blocked his route and sprayed his vehicle with bullets.

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

Obsevers cite an apparently growing sense of lawlessness in Maysan. Local officials blame what they describe as successive weak governments, egregiously mishandled security, porous borders, and a lack of cooperation between government agencies as the main reasons behind many of unlawful manifestations in Maysan.

It is not only at the heart of the country’s thriving drug scene, but it is also the battlefield of armed tribal conflicts, where confrontations can last for days with the security forces unable to deter the bloodshed.

In a recent dispute between two major tribes, Katyusha rockets were used, injuring an unconfirmed scores of people.