A deadly explosion occurred at the Kalsu military base in Babylon province, located south of Baghdad, resulting in the death of one individual and the injury of eight others.
The base is home to Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces, also known as Hashed al-Shaabi, a coalition of pro-Iranian armed groups.
This incident follows Iran’s recent attack on Israel, which prompted Israel to reportedly retaliate with a drone strike on Iran.
The explosion at the Kalsu base took place in the early hours of Saturday, causing both an explosion and a fire.
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The air defense command clarified that there were no drones or combat aircraft present in the airspace of Babylon province before or during the explosion.
Initially, an interior ministry official had reported an aerial bombing, but later statements from Hashed al-Shaabi confirmed the explosion had caused both material losses and casualties.
The group has dispatched investigators to the site, although the perpetrators behind the attack remain unknown.
Iraq’s foreign ministry expressed concern over the incident, emphasizing the need to focus on the situation in the Gaza Strip and warning against further military escalation that could jeopardize regional security and stability.
