Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) on Sunday rejected allegations that its chairman, Faleh al-Fayyadh, had prior knowledge of the recent attacks on PMF positions but failed to alert military units, as baseless and unfounded.

The PMF maintained that its forces had been on heightened alert for months amid escalating regional tensions and that all units had been instructed to take maximum security precautions two days before the joint US-Saudi attacks. “The measures helped prevent further casualties,” the PMF argued, stressing that its 4th Battalion of the 30th Brigade had failed to take all required precautionary measures, contributing to the deaths of most of its personnel during the recent attacks.

The PMF leadership has since ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the lapse, warning that it reserves the right to take legal action against anyone found to have deliberately spread false information, made unfounded allegations against its leadership or damaged its reputation.

“We are more concerned about our members in the Popular Mobilization Forces than anyone else.”

The PMF, a state security organization that includes several Iran-aligned armed factions, reported earlier that at least 20 of its personnel were killed and 32 others wounded following joint Saudi-US strikes targeting weapons depots and logistics sites belonging to the group in eastern Iraq.

Saudi Arabia has previously accused Iran-backed Iraqi groups of launching drone attacks targeting energy facilities inside the Kingdom. The factions denied the allegations, while Yemen’s Houthi Movement (Ansarallah) claimed responsibility for the drone strikes on Saudi oil facilities.