Some of the Popular Mobilization factions openly challenge the Iraqi prime minister
The attempt to assassinate Al-Kazemi raises concern about the consequences of “returning to chaos”
The qualitative attack is a warning of the possibility of Iraq slipping into a dangerous slope.
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The attack on the home of the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, in the early hours of the morning of the seventh of November, sparked a wave of reactions and concern about the armed groups linked to Iran, which had previously threatened Al-Kazemi. The Prime Minister said that he was not harmed in the attack, which was carried out by three drones loaded with explosive materials, only one of which was shot down by the security forces. However, there are reports that Al-Kazemi suffered minor damage to his left wrist. Al-Kazemi described the attack in a video recording that was published as a “cowardly attack,” stressing that “missiles and drones are not built in the future,” and some of his guards were damaged. Some of the pictures that were circulated showed that Al-Kazemi's residence had suffered some damage. The Iraqi army described the incident as an assassination attempt, while others described it as an attempted "coup" in view of the mobilization of armed groups linked to Iran.On November 6, the leader of the armed group linked to Iran known as "Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq", Qais Khazali, issued his threats to the Iraqi prime minister.
The Iraqi parliamentary elections, which took place on the tenth of last October, witnessed the political alliance linked to the Shiite Popular Mobilization Units losing a large number of seats compared to those it won in the 2018 elections, which were held a few months after Iraq announced its victory over ISIS in December. 2017.
Demonstrations backed by political parties linked to armed groups close to Iran took place for several weeks near the Green Zone in Baghdad, where they claimed electoral fraud.
In recent days, these demonstrations turned violent.
At least two people were killed and about 100 people were injured among the demonstrators and members of the security forces.
Among these armed groups linked to Iran are the Popular Mobilization Brigades, which were formed in 2014 to fight ISIS, and which receive their salaries from the state. Many of these brigades believe they owe more to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard than to the Iraqi government. They have repeatedly demonstrated their public defiance of government orders, and have previously threatened Al-Kazemi, who is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces in Iraq.
After he was sworn in and entered power in May 2020, after several months of government vacuum following the resignation of the previous government in late 2019, as a result of the massive demonstrations that struck central and southern Iraq, Al-Kazemi pledged to return armed groups to state authority. Al-Kazemi has long referred to "outlaw groups", and did not mention their name, as being responsible for the attacks against the fortified Green Zone, where the prime minister's house is located, and the homes of many other politicians, in addition to government offices, the bases of the Iraqi army and international forces and the convoys carrying supplies to it. . The arrests of members of armed groups that were considered "untouchable" occurred during the year and a half of Al-Kazemi's presence in power. The most famous of these arrests is the arrest of the commander of the Popular Mobilization Brigade, Qassem Musleh, last May. Mosleh was released in June after great pressure from armed groups linked to Iran.The judiciary announced at the time that "there is no evidence" against him. The commander of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Ismail Ghani, arrived in Baghdad for negotiations, the nature of which is unknown on that day. In the evening, three missiles struck the Iraqi Balad air base.
Shortly after the November 7 attacks on Al-Kazemi's house, a prominent member of the armed group close to Iran, called "Kataeb Hezbollah", indicated that Al-Kazemi had fabricated this attack himself, claiming that he was "playing the role of the victim."
In the October 10 elections, Kata'ib Hezbollah presented its candidates for the first time under the name of the Rights Movement, but its performance was poor.
The United States has designated both Kata'ib Hezbollah and Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq as foreign terrorist organizations, but both have brigades that receive their salaries from the Iraqi government.
The President of Iraq, Barham Salih, stressed that it cannot be allowed to “drag Iraq into chaos,” and that the attack should be considered a “coup against the democratic system.” State Department spokesman Ned Price said, “This is a clear terrorist act that we strongly condemn, and was directed against the heart of the Iraqi state.” .
Many Iraqis fear the prospect of returning the country to anarchy.
Despite some improvement, some armed actors outside the country are still able to carry out attacks against the highest levels of the country.
• Al-Kazemi has always referred to “outlaw groups” and did not mention their name as responsible for the attacks against the fortified Green Zone, where the prime minister's home, and the homes of many other politicians, as well as government offices, the bases of the Iraqi army and international forces and convoys carrying supplies are located. to her.
Shelley Kettleson ■ is a freelance journalist living in Rome
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