Shafaq News/ A weapons depot belonging to Iraq's al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces-PMF) exploded in Baghdad's southern suburbs, the state-sanctioned group confirmed in a statement on Thursday.

A security source reported to Shafaq News Agency that multiple explosions were heard in Baghdad's al-Oweirij area in the evening today.

The PMF said the depot, which is a part of the posterior camp in al-Yusufiyah area, is run by the logistic department of the PMF's 42 brigade operating under the Saladin Operations Command.

That explosion which took place at 07:00 pm (Baghdad time) set off other explosions heard across Baghdad. There were no casualties reported immediately but emergency and firefighting squads arrived at the scene, according to the PMF.

The statement said a probe was launched into the circumstances of the incident.

In 2019, Iraqi paramilitary groups with links to Iran blamed a series of blasts at their weapons depots and bases on the United States and Israel as tension escalated between Washington and Tehran. However, hot summer weather and poor storage were always blamed in the official statements.