Baghdad Court Acquits PMF Intelligence Official After Two-Day Detention
Court dismisses all charges against Abbas Yaqoubi, while reports say armed groups warned of escalation over his arrest
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The Karkh Criminal Court in Baghdad on Wednesday acquitted Abbas Yaqoubi, an intelligence official with Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), rejecting all charges against him and ordering his immediate release.
Yaqoubi was arrested on Monday by Iraqi counterterrorism forces in Dhi Qar province and transferred to Baghdad, according to information obtained by Kurdistan24.
A source within the PMF told Kurdistan24 that following Yaqoubi’s arrest, Qais al-Khazali, Abu Ala al-Walaei, and several other armed group leaders intervened and conveyed a message to Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Zaidi.
According to the source, the armed groups, particularly the Harakat al-Nujaba movement, warned that tensions would escalate if Yaqoubi was not released, prompting the court to issue its acquittal and release order.
The source said Yaqoubi’s arrest had brought the situation close to the point where armed groups could launch an attack on Baghdad’s Green Zone.
The groups also reportedly warned the prime minister to stop what they described as the current approach to dealing with PMF members and not to conduct further raids on their homes.
The court’s decision comes amid heightened tensions between Iraq’s security institutions and Iran-aligned armed groups operating within or alongside the PMF, raising concerns over potential confrontation between state forces and powerful factions.