Finance Director for pro-Iran militia critically injured in assassination attempt in Baghdad

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iranian-backed Shia Hashd al-Shaabi militia Finance Director, Qassim al-Zubaidi, survived an assassination attempt in Baghdad on Sunday, prompting the militia commander to press Iraqi authorities to open an investigation.

The assassination attempt took place in the country's capital, and while al-Zubaidi survived, he suffered serious injuries according to an announcement by the Hashd al-Shaabi, also known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).

The incident comes less than two weeks ahead of the Iraqi parliamentary election, scheduled for May 12, which has the PMF running under the Fatih list for seats in Baghdad.

Zubaidi was immediately taken to a hospital and is currently under medical observation. No one has claimed responsibility for the attempted murder.

Deputy Chairman of the PMF, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, condemned the attack and called on Iraqi authorities to launch an investigation into the incident.

Muhandis, who has close ties to Tehran and has been designated a terrorist by the US, warned against any other attempt to target militia leaders and officials. 

The organization did not mention where the attack took place, nor did they speculate on the motives for targeting Zubaidi.

The PMF was formed at the end of 2014 by Iraq’s top Shia cleric, Ayatollah al-Sistani, to protect Shia shrines and religious sites in the middle and southern provinces of Iraq against attacks carried out by the Islamic State (IS).

The Shia militia group, which is made up of almost 50 smaller factions, has participated in most of the Iraqi military's operations against IS over the past three years.

Now that the jihadist group has been territorially defeated in Iraq, militia leaders set their sights on political objectives and are competing in the upcoming Iraqi legislative elections. Baghdad forbade active militiamen and fighters from running for office.

Hundreds of PMF members and affiliates, however, are vying for a number of seats out of the available 329 ones in the Iraqi Parliament.

Editing by Nadia Riva