Iraqi PM Ousts Paramilitary Commanders Following Deadly Clash with Police

Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani has approved sweeping disciplinary and legal actions against senior commanders in the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) following last month’s deadly clashes with police at a government facility in Baghdad, his office announced Saturday.

The July 27 incident occurred when gunmen stormed the agricultural directorate in the capital’s Karkh district and engaged in a firefight with federal police, leaving three people dead. According to a government investigation, the former director of the facility — implicated in corruption cases — had called in Kataib Hezbollah fighters to carry out the raid after being replaced.

Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Shiite militia within the PMF, deployed fighters from its 45th and 46th Brigades for the attack, the statement said. Although the PMF was formally brought under Iraqi military command in 2016, it continues to operate with significant autonomy, and some factions have periodically targeted US military bases in Syria with drones.

Al-Sudani, who also serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, ordered the removal of the 45th and 46th Brigade commanders, judicial referrals for all those involved, and an inquiry into “leadership and control failures” within the PMF. The investigation also pointed to broader structural weaknesses, including units acting outside the official chain of command.

The PMF’s semi-autonomous status has long been a source of friction with Washington, which designates Kataib Hezbollah and other factions as terrorist groups. Iraq’s parliament is currently debating legislation to further integrate the PMF into the military — a move the US opposes. Al-Sudani defended the proposal in a recent interview with the Associated Press, saying it is aimed at ensuring all armed forces operate under state authority and accountability.