Shafaq News/ Al-Anbar's Operations Commander in the PMF, Qassim Musleh, might be released within few hours under the pressure of the PMF leaders, according to an informed security source.
The source told Shafaq News Agency that PMF leaders Abu Fadak and Falih al-Fayyad are keeping tabs on the issue of Musleh's arrest and he might be released in the next few hours.
The leader of Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq movement, Qais al-Khazali, tweeted, "arresting a prominent leader in al-Hashd al-Shaabi in an operation outside the legal and military frames is nothing more than cards' shuffling, a malicious attempt to confuse the security situation, and create chaos to push towards annulling the elections, establishing an emergency government, and suspend the constitution."
" We shall stand firmly against these attempts, and reinstate the appropriate legal policies to hand over the detainee to the PMF's security [forces] in the legal way."
A group of military vehicles of the PMF rallied inside the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad amid a prevailing climate of palpable tension in the wake of the detention of PMF's commander, Qassem Musleh.
A source told Shafaq News Agency that a group of PMF military vehicles entered the al-Muqatel "the Fighter" Square inside the Grean Zone.
Fighters of the PMF pushed down the fence surrounding the square and lifted posters of the PMF leaders, including Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the source added.
Earlier today, authorities reportedly tightened security measures at the entrances of the Green Zone in the wake of the apprehension of the PMF commander, Qassem Musleh.
A source told Shafaq News Agency that only those who carry badges are allowed to enter the Green Zone.
Security authorities are concerned that PMF fighters might storm the Green Zone and breach security.
It is noteworthy that the new measures have caused a huge traffic jam at the entrances of the Green Zone.
The commander of al-Anbar Operations in the PMF, Qassem Musleh, was reportedly arrested today, Wednesday.
Security sources revealed that a special security force arrested Musleh in the Dora area, south of Baghdad, and took him to a security headquarters.
According to the same sources, Musleh’s arrest was for charges related to public funds issues.
Sources in the PMF said that Musleh was detained per the orders of the head of the Anti-Corruption Committee, Lieutenant-General Ahmed Abu Ragheef, because the former prevented US forces arriving from Syria from entering the Iraqi territory, indicating that they will frame him in a criminal case.
Musleh, a prominent commander of the PMF, had close ties with the late commander of the Iranian Quds force, Qassem Soleimani, and the former Deputy head of the PMF authority, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.