2 killed, 12 injured when PMF fighters attacked Agriculture Ministry office in capital
The US Embassy in Baghdad called on the Iraqi government on Monday to swiftly bring members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) who attacked a government department in the capital to accountability.
“We call on the Government of Iraq to take measures to bring these perpetrators and their leaders to justice without delay,” the embassy said in a statement.
“Accountability is essential to upholding the rule of law and preventing further acts of violence.”
The Interior Ministry said an armed group raided an Agriculture Ministry office in Karkh, Baghdad on Sunday as a newly appointed director was taking his post during an administrative meeting.
The raid sparked panic among employees, who called for security intervention. As security forces arrived, they came under direct fire from the gunmen, killing two people and injuring 12 others, according to local media.
Iraq’s Joint Operations Command confirmed the gunmen were members of the PMF’s 45th and 46th brigades, and that 14 suspects were arrested and referred to the judiciary.
The US Embassy blamed the attack on Kataib Hezbollah, a group designated by Washington as a terrorist organization within the PMF.
“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 the Hashd al-Shaabi, was originally formed in 2014 as a volunteer force supporting Iraqi security forces in the fight against the ISIS terror group (Daesh). It was formally incorporated into Iraq’s armed forces by a government decree in 2016.
