Explosion at Popular Mobilization Forces headquarters in Baghdad

An explosion occurred at a Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) headquarters in eastern Baghdad on Saturday. The incident involved an ammunition stockpile located at the facility.

The PMF stated that preliminary investigations by the Ministry of Interior’s forensic evidence unit indicate the blast was caused by an internal malfunction of damaged or obsolete ammunition, with no evidence of an external attack. While the PMF reported five injuries and noted the fire was brought under control, security and medical sources reported one fatality and four injuries.

Iraqi Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi, has ordered the formation of an investigative committee to determine the exact circumstances of the explosion. The Ministerial Council for National Security has also convened an emergency meeting to discuss the incident.