ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The pro-Iran Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi) said Thursday that one of its brigades’ “logistic support depots” exploded in southern Baghdad without casualties. Hashd said in a statement that “an explosion occurred at 7 pm at the logistic support depots of Brigade 42 of Salahaddin Operations Command,” adding that a specialized technical committee was formed to “determine the causes of the explosion.” The incident did not cause any casualties, the statement noted. Eyewitnesses also told a Rudaw reporter in Baghdad that a weapons depot belonging to one of the paramilitary groups had exploded. The Iraqi Security Forces have yet to comment on the blast. The incident comes two days after two drones reportedly hit the Ain al-Assad air base in Anbar which houses US-led coalition forces. The attack marked the first strike against US forces since April. Pro-Iran militia forces have conducted more than 175 rocket and drone attacks against the coalition troops. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a loose alliance of a number of pro-Iran groups, have claimed most of the attacks. Washington has previously targeted their base in response to the strikes. The groups say their attacks are in solidarity with Gaza where a war between Israel and Hamas continues. Pro-Iran groups have warned repeatedly that they will resume their attacks on Israel’s main ally, the United States, if Tel Aviv does not end its offensive in Gaza.
