Five PMF members lightly injured in Baghdad ammunition blast as PM orders inquiry

BAGHDAD — Five members of the Popular Mobilization Forces suffered minor injuries when a stockpile of damaged ammunition exploded at a PMF headquarters in eastern Baghdad on Saturday evening, the PMF said, adding that firefighters had put out the resulting blaze. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered an investigation.

“The final toll from the incident was five members with minor injuries,” the PMF said, revising an initial statement that reported no casualties. “The relevant committees have begun procedures to investigate the circumstances of the incident and determine its causes,” it said, adding that the findings would be announced once the investigation was complete.

Zaidi, as commander-in-chief, separately ordered a committee to investigate, establish the exact cause of the explosion quickly and take all necessary safety measures to prevent a repeat, the Security Media Cell said.

The facility is east of the Canal Expressway, near Saad al-Witri Hospital in the Sadr al-Qanat area. A loud blast was heard across surrounding neighborhoods and thick smoke rose over the area; residents of nearby Kriat reported seeing flames, and images from the scene showed bright streaks in the sky. The PMF, formally part of Iraq’s security establishment, runs headquarters and facilities across the country.