Federal Police confirm death of officer in clash with PMF group in Baghdad

BAGHDAD — The Federal Police on Sunday confirmed the death of one of its officers, Ghazwan Karim Salman Al-Rubaie, during armed clashes with a faction affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces at a Ministry of Agriculture office in Baghdad.

In a statement, the force described Al-Rubaie as “the heroic martyr… whose soul ascended during the sacred duty.”

The deadly confrontation unfolded earlier in the day when members of a PMF group clashed with Iraqi security forces in Baghdad’s Dora district, injuring at least 15 police officers, according to the Interior Ministry and security officials.

“The Federal Police leadership confirms its national commitment to upholding the rule of law and the prestige of the state,” the force said in its statement.

The incident prompted Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani to order the formation of a high-level investigative committee. The panel is tasked with determining how the armed group mobilized without official authorization and assessing the attempted takeover of the government building and the attack on security personnel.

A senior security source told 964media that the violence stemmed from a dispute between two armed groups following the appointment of a new director at the agriculture office. The Dora area includes farmland contested by multiple factions, and tensions have resurfaced despite previous efforts to prevent armed control.