Saudi ambassador to Iraq denies The Independent’s report on ISIS cousin

Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Iraq Thamer al-Sabhan has denied recent allegations by British daily The Independent that his cousin died fighting for ISIS.

The Independent ran a report saying Iraq attempted to expel its first Saudi Arabian ambassador in a quarter of a century over claims he refused to condemn a cousin who died fighting for ISIS.

Al-Sabhan quickly responded with a denial on Thursday on Twitter, issuing statements in English and Arabic.

“I would like to inform you that this is entirely incorrect,", he said. “I don’t have a cousin whose name is Abdel-Salam Al-Subhan.”

“No member of my family has ever been involved in terrorism", he added.

Al-Sabhan has asked for The Independent to rectify their article and issue an official apology for running an earlier article stating so.

To the Board of Directors of The @Independent pic.twitter.com/aftIhmP9pd

— ثامر السبهان (@thamersas) September 8, 2016