A massive explosion at an Iran-backed Iraqi militia base near Baghdad
Iran, Aug. 14, 2019 - A large fire resulted in a series of explosions at a weapons depot belonging to the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces also known as Hashd-al Shaabi near Baghdad, according to Reuters.
The explosion at a storage facility of short-range Katiusha rockets belonging to a group backed by the Iranian regime resulted in powerful blasts rocking all of the Iraqi capital. A number of the rockets were launched to areas around the base.
The al-Saqar base located south of Baghdad was the site of the explosions. According to various reports, Iran-backed militia groups, Shiite militia units affiliated to the Badr Organization, Jondol-Imam and battalions known as the Seyed al-Shohada are stationed in this base. The 14thBrigade of the Popular Mobilization Force is responsible for managing the site.
A Health Department spokesman said this fire resulted in various missiles exploding in this warehouse, leading to 14 injures – mostly children – due to missiles landing in areas a few kilometers away from the base.
Reuters cited a security source saying these arms depots were located inside an Iraqi Federal Police base where short-range missiles and Katiusha rockets were currently stored.
Images and videos posted on social media platforms showed a large smoke cloud rising to the skies.
Various local media outlets reported shrapnel from this explosion also landing near the U.S. Embassy building in Baghdad’s heavily-fortified Green Zone.
#BREAKING— Heshmat Alavi (@HeshmatAlavi) August 12, 2019
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Massive explosion rocks the Dora district of southern Baghdad, Iraq.
The military site is reportedly affiliated to the #Iran-backed Shiiite militias (PMU/PMF).
Blasts are ongoing - via @thestevennabilpic.twitter.com/OtOKRpzQS7
One Iraqi police source said this fire was possibly the result of negligence in storing munitions along with the extreme summer heat.
#UPDATE: Video of huge blast at Iranian-backed Shi’a militia (PMU) storage base south of Baghdad.— ELINT News (@ELINTNews) August 12, 2019
pic.twitter.com/sU8EwfUfiP
This is the third explosion in bases affiliated to Iran-backed militia groups in Iraq in less than five weeks. The Iraqi Interior Ministry has ordered an investigation into these developments.
Video of the explosion. pic.twitter.com/VvbBtfpF7u— Aurora Intel (@AuroraIntel) August 12, 2019
The Iranian regime’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) is known to fully back Iraqi militia groups in Iraq. The U.S State Department recently designated the IRGC as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization” (FTO).
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