Two security sources reported that a military base in central Iraq, home to army personnel and pro-Iranian paramilitaries, was struck by a “bombing” late on Friday night.
According to a military official and an inside ministry source, the explosion occurred at the Calso facility, which is home to the erstwhile pro-Iranian paramilitary force Hashed al-Shaabi, which has since been incorporated into the regular army.
One person was murdered and eight people were wounded in the incident, according to a ministry of interior official, while three Iraqi military troops were claimed to have been injured.
Hashed al-Shaabi acknowledged in a statement that the attack had resulted in material losses and casualties, but he did not provide an estimate of the number of wounded.
In response to queries from AFP, the sources refused to specify whether or not a drone strike had carried out the attack or who was behind it.
“The explosion hit equipment, weapons and vehicles,” said the ministry source.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
“The were explosions in the warehouses storing equipment,” said the military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject. “A fire is still raging and the search for the injured is continuing.”
Originally founded as an alliance of armed organizations, mostly Shiite, to combat the Islamic State group, Hashed al-Shaabi is now a member of Iraq’s security forces.
The assault on the pro-Iranian paramilitaries occurs as regional tensions over the conflict between Israel and Hamas, a Palestinian terrorist group backed by Tehran, are on the rise.
Attacks on Friday that were attributed to Israel struck a military facility close to Isfahan, Iran.
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