Iraq has accused the Iran-aligned Hezbollah Brigades of attacking a government agriculture office in Baghdad late last month, prompting the dismissal of two Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) brigade commanders, officials said on Saturday.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani vowed to tighten state control over weapons, enforce the rule of law and fight corruption, saying such measures were not aimed at any specific group or individual.
“There is no justification for weapons outside state institutions amid the security stability,” he said in a statement.
Military spokesman Major General Sabah al-Numan said an investigation found that armed members of the PMF’s 45th and 46th brigades, part of the Hezbollah Brigades, had stormed the Agriculture Directorate in Baghdad’s Karkh district without orders, violating military protocol and using weapons against security forces.
The attack killed and wounded several people, including civilians, he said.
The investigation linked the office’s director, Eyad Kazem Ali, to the incident, accusing him of prior coordination with the armed group and of involvement in administrative corruption, forgery and unlawful seizure of agricultural land.
Al-Numan said the probe revealed “gaps in leadership and control” within the PMF and the presence of formations that ignore military regulations.
Sudani approved the panel’s recommendations to remove the two brigade commanders, open an inquiry into the PMF’s al-Jazeera Operations commander for dereliction of duty, and refer all suspects to the judiciary with supporting evidence.
The government also ordered security agencies to address any PMF violations of regulations and act swiftly against threats to public order, stressing that no group or individual is above the law.
