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Iraq: Mixed Reactions by Nasiriyah Tribes over Activist's Kidnapping, ICTS Deployment

Iraqi Special Forces soldiers walk on a street in Mosul | REUTERS
Iraqi Special Forces soldiers walk on a street in Mosul | REUTERS
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Iraq: Mixed Reactions by Nasiriyah Tribes over Activist's Kidnapping, ICTS Deployment

Iraqi Special Forces soldiers walk on a street in Mosul | REUTERS
Iraqi Special Forces soldiers walk on a street in Mosul | REUTERS

Mystery still shrouds the case of Sajjad al-Iraqi, an activist who was kidnapped last Saturday by a group of gunmen in the southern Dhi Qar province, Iraq. His predicament has transformed into a security and social crisis that shook the Levantine nation.

In Nasiriyah, where al-Iraqi was kidnapped, tribal chiefs were conflicted over Baghdad dispatching anti-terrorism forces to look for the abducted activist and to arrest the perpetrators. Some welcomed the initiative, while others rejected it.

Despite security taskforces having identifying the abductors, locating their residences and issuing arrest warrants for two of them, no tangible progress was made on the case.

Security and anti-terrorism forces led raids and inspections in Nasiriyah, but with no avail. This has majorly embarrassed the Iraqi government which assigned its top security body, the Iraqi counter-terrorism service (ICTS), to the task.

Over the last two days, outspoken criticism was leveled against the government’s decision to deploy ICTS units to search for al-Iraqi. Many warned that the body’s combative reputation may get hurt if it fails in locating al-Iraqi.

On Tuesday, Nasiriyah-based Al-Asakira tribe demanded the government and ICTS present a formal apology for raiding the house of their chief, Kathem al-Shabram.

Al-Asakira also called for freezing raids and helicopter operations conducted over their tribal territory in search of al-Iraqi and kidnappers.

Even though Al-Asakira’s demands were met with vocal sarcasm, many anti-government armed factions and groups warned against the possibility of internal conflict breaking out and escalating into a full-fledged civil war.

Political sources in Baghdad, however, confirmed that the ICTS had returned its operations to Nasiriyah center and has withdrawn from tribal territory at the outer skirts of the city.

ICTS Chief Abdul Wahab al-Saadi, on Wednesday, confirmed that the security taskforce is working on locating al-Iraqi.

“The primary goal being worked on by the ICTS is the search for Sajjad al-Iraqi,” Saadi told Nasiriyah Radio.

“ICTS units and local police departments are all working to implement the law,” he added, confirming that it is unacceptable to undermine their work.

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What’s Behind the UNIFIL Attacks?

FILED - 26 August 2023, Lebanon, Kfrachouba: UN peacekeeping troops secure the Lebanese border side with Israel at the outskirts of the Lebanese southern village of Kfarchouba. Photo: Marwan Naamani/dpa
FILED - 26 August 2023, Lebanon, Kfrachouba: UN peacekeeping troops secure the Lebanese border side with Israel at the outskirts of the Lebanese southern village of Kfarchouba. Photo: Marwan Naamani/dpa
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What’s Behind the UNIFIL Attacks?

FILED - 26 August 2023, Lebanon, Kfrachouba: UN peacekeeping troops secure the Lebanese border side with Israel at the outskirts of the Lebanese southern village of Kfarchouba. Photo: Marwan Naamani/dpa
FILED - 26 August 2023, Lebanon, Kfrachouba: UN peacekeeping troops secure the Lebanese border side with Israel at the outskirts of the Lebanese southern village of Kfarchouba. Photo: Marwan Naamani/dpa

Efforts to restore state authority across Lebanon and enforce UN Security Council Resolution 1701 - which mandates a zone free of unauthorized weapons south of the Litani River - have been met with fresh hostilities targeting UN peacekeepers in the country’s southern border areas.

In recent days, attacks on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) have resurfaced, echoing tactics previously used by Hezbollah to send political messages.

The latest incident occurred on Tuesday in the southern town of Bint Jbeil, where local residents reportedly blocked a UNIFIL patrol from entering without a Lebanese army escort.

On Friday, two young men in the town of Tayr Debba obstructed an armored UNIFIL convoy, forcing it to withdraw. A widely circulated video showed one of the men stating: “They’re not allowed to enter without the Lebanese army.”

Sources at the Presidential Palace told Asharq Al-Awsat that President Joseph Aoun raised the issue during a recent meeting with UNIFIL Commander Lieutenant General Aroldo Lázaro.

The president underscored the need for close coordination between UNIFIL and the Lebanese army to avoid friction with residents. The army, the sources added, is actively addressing such incidents to prevent escalation.

Government officials condemned the attacks as “unacceptable,” recalling Aoun’s firm stance two months ago when UNIFIL forces were assaulted near Beirut airport. At the time, Aoun described such acts as “reprehensible and condemned.”

Investigations into the Beirut airport incident led to the arrest of 25 individuals, of whom 19 were later released, while six remain under military court jurisdiction.

“Any grievances should be relayed to the army, which is deployed in these areas,” a senior source told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The source warned that repeated disruptions could strain the vital relationship between peacekeepers and the local community. “Residents benefit from UNIFIL not only in terms of security, but also through social and humanitarian services,” the source added.

Political undertones are also suspected. Despite unified pledges from Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to uphold Resolution 1701 and stabilize the south, the nature of the attacks suggests a deliberate attempt to undermine these efforts.

“It’s puzzling,” the source said. “Clearly, a certain party is working to disrupt the relationship with UNIFIL - it’s as if someone is singing a different tune.”

Asked whether such incidents could hinder UNIFIL’s operations, the source responded: “The peacekeepers know these acts are not state-sanctioned. The Lebanese government is dealing with them. But if they continue, participating countries might reconsider their involvement.”

Riad Kahwaji, head of the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis (INEGMA), squarely blamed Hezbollah for orchestrating the confrontations.

“Hezbollah has long used civilians to harass UNIFIL as a form of messaging,” Kahwaji told Asharq Al-Awsat. “It’s a tactic to assert dominance, especially now that Lebanese leaders are signaling a shift toward disarming the group. These are Hezbollah’s reminders that it still controls the ground.”

“No one in these villages acts without Hezbollah’s directives,” he added, dismissing claims of spontaneous civilian protests as a cover.

Kahwaji warned that unless the government acts swiftly to detain perpetrators and prevent further escalation, the attacks may intensify and even target the Lebanese army, which is expanding its presence in the south.

UNIFIL deputy spokesperson Kandice Ardiel, responding to Friday’s incident, reaffirmed that the peacekeeping force is operating in close coordination with the Lebanese Armed Forces to support the Lebanese government’s implementation of Resolution 1701 during this critical period.