One individual was killed and eight others were injured in an explosion that occurred overnight at an Iraqi military base that houses a coalition of pro-Iranian armed groups, as per officials on Saturday.
The blast targeted the Kalsu military base in Babylon province, located to the south of Baghdad, where Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces, or Hashed al-Shaabi, are stationed.
This incident took place shortly after Iran carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel, which allegedly responded with a drone strike on the Islamic republic, amidst escalating tensions due to the Gaza conflict.
The media unit of the Iraqi security forces stated that there was an explosion and subsequent fire at the Kalsu base during the early hours of Saturday, resulting in one fatality and eight injuries.
The air defense command confirmed that there were no drones or combat aircraft present in the airspace of Babylon province before or during the explosion, as mentioned in their statement.
Initially, an official from the interior ministry reported an “aerial bombing” at the location.
Hashed al-Shaabi released a statement mentioning that an “explosion” had caused “material losses” and casualties, without specifying the exact number.
The group acknowledged that their facilities at the military base were impacted by the explosion and that investigators had been dispatched to the scene.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.
When questioned by AFP, security sources refrained from identifying the perpetrators of the attack.
According to a source from the interior ministry, the explosion damaged equipment, weapons, and vehicles.
Following the explosion, the US military denied any involvement in the reported strike in Iraq.
In a statement on social media platform X, US Central Command (CENTCOM) clarified that there were no air strikes conducted by the United States in Iraq on that day. They emphasized that the reports of American forces carrying out a strike were false.
An Iraqi military official, speaking anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the incident, mentioned that the explosion took place in warehouses storing equipment.
When contacted by AFP, the Israeli army declined to comment on information released by foreign media outlets.
The Hashed al-Shaabi is an essential component of the official Iraqi security structure, operating under the prime minister’s authority. It consists of various pro-Iran armed groups, some of which have been involved in attacks against US forces in Iraq and Syria as part of an international anti-jihadist coalition.
Hashed commander Abu Alaa al-Walai stated on X, formerly Twitter, that they would retaliate against those responsible for the aggression. He added that the perpetrators of this heinous crime would face consequences.
