An Iraqi migrant suspected in the rape and murder of a 14-year-old German girl has been detained in his native country after attempting to flee Germany, the German government has said.

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The 20-year-old man, identified as Ali B., was taken into custody by Kurdish security forces in northern Iraq on Friday morning, at the request of German federal police, German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer told reporters.

The suspect apparently left Germany several days ago, accompanied by his parents and five siblings. German authorities say they believe the Iraqi national arrived in Germany in October 2015 via Turkey and Greece, amid a wave of refugees that entered Europe.

German police say that Ali B. had recently been living in a refugee shelter located outside the girl’s hometown of Mainz. Her body was found in a wooded area near the shelter on Wednesday.

The girl, named in the media only as Susanna F., was reported missing on May 22. Police were reportedly given information about the location of her body and the suspected attackers by a 13-year-old migrant who came to the Wiesbaden police station on Sunday.

German media reported that Ali B., who had previously been a suspect in robbery at knifepoint, had been the girl’s boyfriend.

READ MORE: Afghan boy, 15, held after ex-girlfriend is stabbed to death in Germany

The Central Council of Jews in Germany said the girl and her mother were members of the Jewish community in Mainz, but cautioned against assuming that her religion was a motivating factor in the heinous crime.

A 35-year-old Turkish migrant had been arrested in connection to the case, but was later released on Thursday evening.

German officials believe it would be hard to get Ali B. back for a court trial, as there is no extradition agreement between Berlin and Baghdad. It’s also not clear whether the man will be tried in his home country.

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