Iraq Probes Deadly Militia Clash After US Names Kata'ib Hezbollah Perpetrator
After a deadly assault in Dora, Iraqi PM al-Sudani orders an inquiry. The victim's family warns of tribal justice. A former department head has been arrested for involving "an armed group", leading to “violations and corruption.”
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Iraqi government has launched a high-level investigation and arrested a former department director after a deadly armed attack on a Ministry of Agriculture office in Baghdad, an incident the United States has explicitly blamed on the U.S.-designated terrorist organization Kata'ib Hezbollah.
In the wake of the brazen daylight violence that left two dead and a civilian fighting for his life, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ordered an inquiry and chaired an emergency security meeting, while the victim's family described the assault as a "terrorist act" and hinted at tribal justice if the state fails to act.
The Prime Minister's Office announced in a statement that a committee has been formed, headed by the Deputy President of the Board of Supreme Audit and including representatives from the Iraqi Commission of Integrity. The committee is tasked not only with investigating the "heinous incident" but also with reviewing complaints and grievances from farmers in the Dora area. The former director of the targeted department has been arrested for allegedly requesting assistance from an armed group, leading to "violations and corruption."
The violent confrontation unfolded on Sunday morning at a Ministry of Agriculture department in Baghdad’s Karkh district. According to Iraq’s Ministry of Interior, the chaos erupted when "an armed group stormed the department building during an administrative meeting" as a new director was assuming his duties. When Federal Police forces responded to calls for help, they "came under direct fire from the armed men." Clashes broke out between members of the 45th and 46th Brigades of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and the Federal Police. The violence left at least two people dead, including a federal police officer and an innocent civilian, and nine security personnel injured.
The US Embassy in Baghdad issued a strong condemnation, directly naming the perpetrators. "We offer our condolences to the families of the victims who were killed by Kata’ib Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization within the Popular Mobilization Forces, on July 27," the embassy stated. It called on the Iraqi government "to take measures to bring these perpetrators and their leaders to justice without delay," stressing that "accountability is essential to upholding the rule of law."
Amid the official responses, the family of Abbas al-Atabi, a young taxi driver shot in the head during the clashes, voiced their anguish and frustration. Adel al-Atabi, the sheikh of the victim's clan, described the attack as a clear "terrorist act." He told Kurdistan24’s correspondent, "Our son was earning his living when he was attacked by gangs, and we don't know who to turn to to demand his rights."
Reflecting a deep-seated distrust in official channels, the family warned of other measures if justice is not served. "We, the Atab clan, are ready to defend our rights," said Hussein al-Atabi, the victim's cousin. "If the state or the Minister of Interior is unable to confront the uncontrolled militias, we are ready to make sacrifices for our son." The family’s demands reinforced growing public calls to confine weapons exclusively to state hands.
In response to the incident, the Ministry of Interior announced the arrest of 14 armed men involved in storming the department. In a strongly worded statement, the ministry declared that the authority of the state and the rule of law are a "red line that cannot be crossed" and that it "will not tolerate any transgression against state institutions."
This violent episode is not an isolated event but part of a recurring pattern of state-funded armed groups challenging state authority. A previous clash was reported in Karbala involving militants from the Jund al-Imam group, another PMF faction. These incidents occur even as the PMF receives substantial state funding, with the 2024 Iraqi budget allocating over 3.8 trillion dinars for its salaries and an additional 564 billion dinars allocated in 2023 for new weapons systems.
The investigative committee formed by the Prime Minister is expected to present its findings to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers to enable legal action against any encroachment or illegal seizure of agricultural lands, which a police source identified as the root of the dispute.
