Latest news with #HashedalShaabi
Al Arabiya
4 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Iraq toughens stance against pro-Iran faction after Baghdad clash
The Iraqi government toughened its position towards pro-Iran faction Kata'ib Hezbollah on Saturday, announcing some members would be tried over a recent deadly clash and others had been stripped of their commands. The decision follows an attack on a government office in south Baghdad late last month that killed three people, including a policeman, and which the authorities blamed on the group. Like other armed groups trained by Iran during the war against ISIS, Kata'ib Hezbollah or Hezbollah Brigades were integrated into the regular security forces as part of the Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization) force. However, the faction has developed a reputation for sometimes acting on its own. Iraq's Joint Operations Command previously said that more than a dozen suspects were detained over the July 27 attack on an agriculture ministry office, which was prompted by the sacking of the director. Saturday's government statement said the suspects were 'fighters belonging to Hezbollah Brigades and affiliated to Regiments 45 and 46 of the Hashed al-Shaabi.' It charged that the attack on the ministry's office had been led by the former director. 'In addition to being implicated in several cases of corruption,' the suspected ringleader stood accused of 'falsifying official documents, certificates and contracts so that farmland could be confiscated from its legitimate owners,' the statement said. The government said it regretted 'command and control failings within the Hashed al-Shaabi' and condemned the 'presence of armed factions which do not respect military rules and procedures.' The authorities announced the 'dismissal of the commanders of Regiments 45 and 46' and the prosecution of 'everybody implicated' in the case. A security official speaking on condition of anonymity said 25 people faced trial -- the Kata'ib Hezbollah fighters and the former head of the ministry office. The group says many of those detained had nothing to do with last month's clash. The case comes amid deep divisions in Iraq over a proposed law that would further formalize the role -- and perhaps, the autonomy -- of the Hashed al-Shaabi. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the proposed legislation 'would institutionalize Iranian influence and armed terrorist groups undermining Iraq's sovereignty.' Formed in 2014 when Iraqis were urged to take up arms against ISIS, the Hashed now counts more than 200,000 fighters and employees, and wields major military and political clout. With AFP
Al Arabiya
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Drone downed near Iraq airport hosting US troops: Kurdish forces
A drone packed with explosives was shot down Monday near Arbil airport, which hosts US troops from the international anti-extremist coalition in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, Kurdish security forces said. 'At 02:20 (1120 GMT) an explosive-laden drone was downed near Arbil International Airport, without causing casualties or damage,' said the counterterrorism services of the Kurdistan region. There has been no claim of responsibility for the drone, the second intercepted near the airport this month. Arbil airport, which includes a base for the US-led international anti-extremist coalition, was frequently targeted by rocket and drone attacks in previous years. On July 3, authorities said a drone was downed near the airport, with the regional interior ministry blaming the Popular Mobilization Forces for the attack. The PMF -- Hashed al-Shaabi in Arabic -- is a coalition of pro-Iran former paramilitary forces now integrated into the regular armed forces. The federal government in Baghdad rejected the accusation of 'an official Iraqi security institution.' It is 'entirely unacceptable under any pretext, particularly as it was made in the absence of evidence,' the government said. In the past few weeks, Iraq has seen a spate of drone and rocket attacks, including several drones landing in open areas. Long plagued by conflict, Iraq has been a frequent battleground for such attacks, often linked to regional proxy struggles. The country has only recently begun to regain a measure of stability after decades of war and upheaval.
Al Arabiya
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Drone shot down near Iraqi airport hosting US troops: Security forces
A drone was intercepted late on Thursday near Arbil airport, which houses US-led anti-terrorism troops in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, Kurdish security forces said. 'At 9:58 p.m. (6:58 p.m. GMT) an explosive-packed drone was downed near Arbil International Airport, without causing casualties or damage,' said the counterterrorism services of the Kurdistan region. Arbil airport, which includes a military base of the international anti-terrorism coalition, was a frequent target in previous years for rocket and drone attacks. Dana Tofeek, the airport's interim director, told AFP that the airport is 'safe,' adding that 'only one flight was slightly delayed due to security measures.' There has been no claim of responsibility for the drone. In less than two weeks, drone and rocket attacks have been reported in different parts of Iraq, including drones that landed in open spaces. Earlier on Thursday, an explosive-packed drone fell near Kirkuk airport, which was struck on Monday by two rockets, a senior security official told AFP. Kirkuk airport hosts Iraqi army units, federal police, and the Hashed al-Shaabi, a coalition of former pro-Iranian paramilitary forces now integrated into the regular armed forces. Early on Tuesday, Iraq's anti-aircraft defense engaged at least one drone near the key refinery of Baiji in Salaheddin province. Last week, hours before a ceasefire ended the 12-day Iran–Israel war, unidentified drones struck radar systems at two military bases in Baghdad and southern Iraq. Iraq has long been a battleground of drone and rocket assaults and proved fertile ground for proxy wars. It only recently regained a semblance of stability after decades of devastating conflicts and turmoil.
