Baghdad, July 28 (V7N) – At least one police officer was killed and 14 members of a militia group were arrested in a shootout with police in the Karkh district of Iraq’s capital, Baghdad, on Sunday (July 27), according to Iraqi security officials.

The confrontation occurred when fighters from the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) stormed a Ministry of Agriculture building, reportedly to disrupt the appointment of a new director. Witnesses and security sources stated that the armed men attempted to block the replacement of the former director, triggering chaos inside the government facility.

The Iraqi Interior Ministry confirmed that the attackers interrupted a government meeting and spread panic among employees. When an emergency police response team arrived, they came under fire. Several police officers were injured, and one officer was fatally shot, according to hospital and police sources.

In a firm warning, the Interior Ministry stated: “We will not accept any group imposing its will on state institutions by force.”

PMF and Government Tensions

The Popular Mobilization Forces, or Hashd al-Shaabi, is a coalition of predominantly Shiite militias originally formed to combat ISIS. While they have since been integrated into the Iraqi military structure, some factions maintain close ties with Iran and continue to operate with a degree of autonomy.

The Joint Operations Command, under Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, confirmed that the 14 arrested fighters belong to the PMF’s 45th and 46th Brigades, both of which are affiliated with Kataib Hezbollah, a powerful Iran-backed militia group.

Prime Minister al-Sudani has ordered the formation of an investigation committee to probe the incident. The government emphasized that the arrested individuals will face trial.

Ongoing Instability

Clashes between Iran-aligned militias and Iraqi government forces have become increasingly common, undermining Iraq’s internal stability and highlighting the fragile balance of power between official institutions and armed factions with external affiliations.

The incident adds to growing concerns over the influence of armed groups within Iraq’s political and administrative framework, and the challenge of asserting state authority over rogue militia elements.

Source: Al Jazeera

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