Kataib Hezbollah exits Baghdad Belt Project

Shafaq News – Baghdad

The withdrawal of Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-aligned armed group, from a security project around Baghdad is not expected to impact the stability in the area, an Iraqi lawmaker announced on Tuesday.

Speaking to Shafaq News, Yasser Iskandar, a member of the Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee stated that the responsibility for assessing the impact of the group’s exit lies with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who also serves as Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.

“All security forces operate under the authority of the Commander-in-Chief, and no group is allowed to act outside the state’s framework,” he added, stressing that “any overreach would undermine national sovereignty.”

Earlier, Kataib Hezbollah withdrew from the Baghdad Belt project, transferring its positions and equipment to the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). In a statement, the group said the move was intended to prevent efforts to “defame” its fighters.

The decision came days after a confrontation between Kataib Hezbollah members and guards at a government agricultural office in southern Baghdad. The Interior Ministry has since opened an investigation and taken the individual involved into custody.