Iraqi PM Al-Sudani vows ‘accountability’ after deadly PMF-linked clash in Baghdad

BAGHDAD — Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Monday vowed to hold accountable those behind a deadly armed assault on a government building in Baghdad, reaffirming the state’s exclusive authority to enforce the law following clashes involving fighters affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces.

“No one has the right to take the place of the state or its authorities. There is no entity above the law,” Al-Sudani said during an emergency security meeting with senior commanders and officers. The meeting came a day after gunmen stormed a Ministry of Agriculture office in the capital’s Dora area, sparking clashes that left one federal police officer dead and at least 15 others injured.

The attack took place during a scheduled administrative meeting on Sunday and prompted a response from Iraqi security forces, including Federal Police and Karkh patrol units. The Interior Ministry said 14 suspects were arrested and that operations remain ongoing under senior command supervision.

Security footage obtained by 964media shows injured officers being treated at the scene. A senior security source said the assault began as a dispute between two armed factions following the appointment of a new director at the agriculture office. “The problem started between two groups, and when the security forces intervened, clashes broke out with one of them,” the source said, noting that both light and medium weapons were used and that casualties were also reported among the gunmen.

The Joint Operations Command confirmed that the attackers were members of the 45th and 46th brigades of the PMF, which operates under the prime minister’s authority but includes powerful factions with close ties to Iran and varying degrees of independence.

In response, Al-Sudani ordered a high-level investigation into how the group was able to mobilize and attempt to seize control of a government building without authorization. He directed that the inquiry proceed “with a high degree of professionalism” and said he would supervise the process directly. Those responsible, he said, would be prosecuted “in accordance with applicable laws.”

The Federal Police mourned the slain officer, Ghazwan Karim Salman Al-Rubaie, describing him as “the heroic martyr… whose soul ascended during the sacred duty.”

The PMF issued its own statement Monday saying it “will not tolerate any individual who disobeys orders or violates established security procedures.” It described itself as “a shield for the nation and an extension of official security institutions,” adding that “any individual or group acting outside that framework is breaking the law.”

The Coordination Framework, a coalition of Shia political parties that supports the current government, condemned the incident in a statement after an emergency meeting Monday night. “The assault on one of the agriculture directorates was a violation of the law and the state’s authority,” the group said, expressing support for legal action to “preserve order and uphold the dignity of the state.” It also rejected “the use of weapons outside official frameworks” and called for a transparent investigation.

The Dora district includes farmland contested by rival factions. Authorities had previously convened a security meeting in the area to prevent factional control, but tensions reportedly reignited following the leadership change at the ministry. Local officials said the incident raised renewed concerns about impunity and the risk posed by armed groups operating without central oversight.

The Interior Ministry said the search for additional suspects is ongoing and stressed that it “will not allow any assault on state institutions or any threat to the authority of the law. The prestige of the state and the rule of law are red lines that cannot be crossed.”