Shafaq News- Basra

Unidentified attackers threw a hand grenade at a house in Izz al-Din Salim district in northern Basra province, causing no injuries, a security source told Shafaq News.

Security forces arrived at the scene and opened an investigation into the circumstances of the attack and those behind it, the source said.

The house belongs to relatives of a leader of the Sheikhi community, whose members follow a minority school of Shiite Islam with a notable presence in Basra.

The source added that the community has experienced internal tensions in recent months, with several members killed or wounded.

About the Sheikhi Sect

Founded in the 18th century by Ahmad bin Zayn al-Din al-Ahsa’I, the Sheikhi sect —known locally in Iraq as the Hasawiya— is a school of thought closely related to Twelver Shiism. The name Hasawiya refers to Al-Ahsa in eastern Saudi Arabia, from where the founder traveled to Karbala before establishing a following that later settled in Basra.

Basra remains the main center of the Sheikhi presence in Iraq, where historical accounts indicate the community has existed for more than 200 years. Population estimates vary, with some sources placing the number at more than 250,000. Parliamentary representative Amer Al-Fayez has said the figure could reach one million, mainly concentrated in Basra, with smaller communities in Karbala and Diyala province.