US embassy blames Kataib Hezbollah for deadly Baghdad assault, urges Iraqi action

BAGHDAD — The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on Monday condemned a deadly armed assault on a Ministry of Agriculture office in the capital’s Dora area, explicitly blaming Kataib Hezbollah and calling on the Iraqi government to bring those responsible to justice.

“We offer our condolences to the families of the victims who were killed by Kata’ib Hizballah, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization within the Popular Mobilization Forces, on July 27 at a Ministry of Agriculture department in Baghdad,” the embassy said in a statement. “We are saddened by the loss of life, which included federal police and an innocent civilian, and wish a swift recovery to the wounded. We call on the Government of Iraq to take measures to bring these perpetrators and their leaders to justice without delay. Accountability is essential to upholding the rule of law and preventing further acts of violence.”

The embassy’s statement marked the first direct attribution of the attack to Kataib Hezbollah by the United States. The group is part of the Popular Mobilization Forces, a state-affiliated umbrella of armed factions, some of which maintain strong ties to Iran and operate with varying degrees of autonomy.

The attack occurred Friday, when gunmen stormed the ministry building during a scheduled administrative meeting. A firefight broke out with Iraqi security forces, leaving 15 police officers injured and killing Federal Police officer Ghazwan Karim Salman Al-Rubaie. Security footage showed wounded personnel receiving treatment at the scene.

The Joint Operations Command later confirmed that the attackers were affiliated with the PMF’s 45th and 46th brigades. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani held an emergency meeting following the incident and reiterated the state’s exclusive authority to enforce the law.

“No one has the right to take the place of the state or its authorities,” Al-Sudani said. “There is no entity above the law.”