Iraqi intelligence sources told MBN on Sunday of possible armed confrontation between Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and the Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia, amid rising tensions from both sides.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the sources said military commanders concluded such clashes could stem from al-Zaidi’s efforts to cut off Kataib Hezbollah’s financial resources, while Kataib Hezbollah accuses al-Zaidi of using his office to amass a personal fortune.
Kataib Hezbollah, designated a terrorist organization by the United States, has also accused al-Zaidi of “implementing an American agenda”, amid mounting U.S. pressure on Baghdad to disarm Iran-backed militias in the country.
A source in the office of a senior figure within the Coordination Framework, Iraq’s ruling Shiite coalition, told MBN the coalition is divided over how al-Zaidi is handling Kataib Hezbollah.
Former Iraqi army officer Mukhlad Hazem told MBN that negotiations between a Coordination Framework committee and armed factions refusing to surrender their weapons “appear to have failed,” and that the factions had “begun attempting to impose their will on al-Zaidi.”
Kataib Hezbollah is among the most prominent of such factions.
According to sources who spoke to Iraqi media outlets, al-Zaidi rejected a written agreement between the Coordination Framework and the armed factions setting out conditions and timetable for disarmament. He also rejected a proposal to grant Kataib Hezbollah positions in government institutions.
Hazem added that “al-Zaidi has carried out preemptive measures based on precise intelligence provided to the Commission of Integrity,” that “have hurt the cells and shadow networks of these factions,” prompting an escalation in hostile rhetoric from both sides.
Hazem predicted that “government forces may be forced into confrontation and clashes with these factions, because the factions’ attempts to break the government’s will are becoming increasingly apparent, and this is something al-Zaidi will not accept.”
Last month, the prime minister personally assumed control of the Iraqi National Intelligence Service after dismissing its chief, Hamid al-Shatri. Al-Zaidi also established an Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, headed by former Interior Minister Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir al-Shammari, who has appeared alongside him during most of his recent public engagements.
Security expert Fadel Abu Ragheef, who has provided advice to Iraqi security institutions, told MBN that “the more the regional situation deteriorates, the more tensions rise domestically,” and “no one rules out a confrontation.”
MBN contacted the Iraqi prime minister’s office for comment but received no response.
