U.S. Urges Justice Following PMF Raid on Baghdad Government Office
(MENAFN) The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad has urged the Iraqi government to immediately hold accountable members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) involved in a violent assault on a government office in the capital.
"We call on the Government of Iraq to take measures to bring these perpetrators and their leaders to justice without delay," the embassy stated Monday. "Accountability is essential to upholding the rule of law and preventing further acts of violence."
According to Iraq’s Interior Ministry, armed men stormed an Agriculture Ministry building in Baghdad’s Karkh district on Sunday, interrupting an administrative meeting where a newly appointed director was assuming office.
The sudden attack caused chaos among ministry staff, who quickly alerted security forces. When authorities responded, they were met with gunfire from the assailants. Local media reports that the incident left two people dead and 12 others wounded.
Iraq’s Joint Operations Command confirmed that the attackers belonged to the PMF’s 45th and 46th brigades. Authorities have arrested 14 individuals connected to the assault and referred them for judicial action.
The U.S. Embassy attributed responsibility to Kataib Hezbollah, a faction within the PMF that Washington has officially designated a terrorist organization.
"We are saddened by the loss of life, which included federal police and an innocent civilian, and wish a swift recovery to the wounded."
The PMF, also known as Hashd al-Shaabi, was established in 2014 as a volunteer force to aid Iraqi forces in combating the Islamic State (ISIS). Two years later, it was formally integrated into Iraq’s national armed forces by government decree.
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