An explosion occurred late Friday to Saturday night at a military base in central Iraq, which houses Iraqi Army forces and members of the Iran-aligned Popular Mobilization Forces that have been integrated into the Iraqi security forces.
A military official and an official from the Ministry of Interior did not specify who was behind the airstrike on the Kalsu Base in Babil Province, according to the Agence France-Presse.
The sources did not confirm whether the strike was carried out by a drone.
The explosion resulted in the death of one person and injuries to eight others at the base, according to the Ministry of Interior official. The official noted that the explosion targeted the armor headquarters of the Popular Mobilization Forces, affecting heavy weapons and armored vehicles.
Meanwhile, a military official, who requested anonymity, reported that ammunition depots at the base were hit during the strike.
Recent months have seen a significant escalation in attacks in Iraq, marked by a series of explosive incidents and rocket strikes. In 2024 alone, there have been numerous reports of violence, including mortar attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and missile strikes targeting U.S. forces and Iraqi militia groups, often escalating due to regional tensions and external influences.
In January 2024, an attack using 30 munitions targeted al Asad Air Base in Iraq, attributed to Iranian-backed militias. This was part of a broader pattern of strikes against U.S. troops in the region, which have been ongoing amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, sparking retaliatory actions from the U.S. and contributing to regional instability.
Significant incidents in 2023 also included a devastating attack on a market in Baghdad ahead of the Islamic festival Eid al-Adha, which resulted in 35 deaths and over 60 injuries. The attack was claimed by ISIS, illustrating the ongoing threat from extremist groups despite the supposed defeat of ISIS on the battlefield in 2017.
