Conflicting statements from municipality fuel confusion over armed security presence

NASIRIYAH — The Nasiriyah Municipality on Tuesday issued conflicting accounts of an incident involving armed security personnel entering its offices, initially describing it as a serious breach of legal protocol before walking back the claim and labeling the event routine.

In a formal complaint submitted earlier that day to the Dhi Qar Police Directorate, Acting Municipal Director Qahtan Adnan Jabbar accused a group of uniformed, armed men of entering the building without a judicial warrant or prior coordination. The complaint, stamped with the municipality’s official seal and signature, alleged that the security force detained several staff members—including a legal officer—barred employees from using their phones, and demanded access to an unspecified location where weapons were reportedly stored.

“The incident constitutes a dangerous and unjustified violation,” the municipality wrote, calling for legal action against those involved. Enclosed with the letter were surveillance CDs that the municipality said showed the events unfolding inside the building. Footage later released publicly appeared to corroborate the presence of armed individuals within the premises.

But within hours, the municipality issued a second, contradictory statement denying any misconduct. “There is no truth to the news of a raid on the Nasiriyah Municipality building,” the statement said, characterizing the security visit as “a routine procedure” conducted in full coordination with municipal leadership. It said regular operations were not disrupted and urged media outlets to verify reports before publication.

As of Tuesday evening, the security unit involved had not issued a statement.