Baghdad targets pro-Iran militants

The Iraqi government announced on Saturday that it will prosecute those involved in deadly clashes that shook a public administration office on the outskirts of Baghdad, directly blaming the pro-Iranian armed faction Kataeb Hezbollah (Hezbollah Brigades).

The late-July incident left three people dead, including a police officer, after fighting erupted between security forces and armed men identified by authorities as members of Kataeb Hezbollah. 

The attackers stormed a local office of the Ministry of Agriculture in southern Baghdad following the appointment of a new director.

Kataeb Hezbollah, often accused of operating outside state control, is part of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a coalition of former paramilitaries integrated into Iraq’s regular security forces.

In an unusually sharp statement, the government accused fighters from Kataeb Hezbollah’s PMF Regiments 45 and 46 of carrying out the assault, allegedly at the request of the ousted head of the agricultural office. 

That former director is also accused of corruption, forging official documents and contracts, and illegally seizing agricultural land from legitimate owners.

The government condemned “a failure in command and control” within the PMF and criticized the presence of factions that “do not respect military regulations and procedures.” As part of its response, Baghdad announced the dismissal of the commanders of Regiments 45 and 46 and pledged to bring “all those involved” to justice.

A senior security official told AFP, on condition of anonymity, that 25 individuals — including Kataeb Hezbollah fighters and the former director — have been arrested and will face trial.

The affair comes as lawmakers debate a controversial bill to restructure the PMF. Critics, including the United States, say it would entrench the influence of former paramilitary groups, while supporters argue it would bring them more firmly under state authority.

Kataeb Hezbollah has denied involvement in the clashes, claiming a security officer fired the first shot. 

The group said any PMF members who responded did so independently and without coordination, and it has criticized the arrests of individuals it says were not connected to the incident.