Kataib Hezbollah leader urges suspension of prime minister’s powers after Baghdad clash

BAGHDAD — Kataib Hezbollah Secretary-General Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi has called on the Shia Coordination Framework to suspend Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani’s executive powers until the end of the government’s term, citing what he described as an erosion of trust following a deadly incident in Baghdad’s Dora district.

Speaking during an emergency meeting of Coordination Framework leaders on Aug. 2, Hamidawi said Kataib Hezbollah members were subjected to “severe torture” after their arrest in connection with the Dora shooting and demanded a full investigation into the circumstances and motivations behind the detentions.

The incident, which occurred during a meeting at the Agriculture Directorate in southern Baghdad, involved gunmen storming the building and opening fire. Security forces responded, leading to clashes that left a federal police officer dead and at least 15 others wounded.

Following the shooting, Iraq’s Joint Operations Command said the suspects belonged to the Popular Mobilization Forces’ 45th and 46th brigades and confirmed they had been referred to the judiciary for legal proceedings.

The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad issued a statement afterward, blaming Kataib Hezbollah for the violence and calling on the Iraqi government to ensure accountability.

“We will not accept a settlement, and the law must take its course to bring the abusers, whoever they are, to justice,” Hamidawi said, according to a statement from the group.

Hamidawi’s comments followed an earlier statement from the group accusing Al-Sudani of orchestrating a “malicious trap” in the Dora incident, and of acting in retaliation against Kataib Hezbollah’s media and political positions.

He called for the formation of a special committee from within the Coordination Framework to investigate the events, using surveillance footage and testimonies from assigned officers at the scene.

Hamidawi accused Al-Sudani of straying from core political principles and warned that his decisions have become “unbalanced” and at odds with the country’s foundational values. He urged coalition leaders to take action “to safeguard Iraq and its sanctities” until the government’s term concludes on Nov. 11.

He also expressed gratitude to Coordination Framework leaders for what he described as their “firm positions in preserving unity amid exceptional regional developments.”