Iraq: explosion in a military base of pro-Iranian militias, the US denies any responsibility

The death toll from the explosion that occurred during the night in a Kalso military base, about 50 kilometers south of Baghdad, in Iraq, is one dead and eight injured. This was reported by the Iraqi news agency “Shafaq”, specifying that the base hosted both Iraqi security forces and pro-Iranian Hash al Shabi militias (Popular Mobilization Unit, PMU). The Iraqi Interior Ministry specifies that the explosion occurred following an aerial bombardment. It is unclear who carried out the attack, at the height of tension in the Middle East.

Shortly after the explosion, the US military denied any responsibility. “The United States did not conduct airstrikes in Iraq today,” US Central Command wrote on X (Centcom)adding that reports that US forces had carried out an attack were “not true”.

In recent months, some PMU-linked groups have attacked US forces stationed in Iraq and Syria, in retaliation for Washington’s support for Israel in its war against the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip. In response to last night’s bombing, Iraqi Shiite militias reportedly launched a drone towards the city of Eilat, in southern Israel.

Security forces: “No drones or fighters in flight during the explosion”

At the time of the explosion which occurred south of Baghdad against a base hosting pro-Iranian Shiite militias, no drones or fighter planes were seen in flight. The Iraqi security forces said this in a statement today. “There were no drones or fighter planes in the airspace of the Babylon governorate before or during the explosion,” due to which one person died and eight were injured, Iraqi security forces assured.

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