Gunfire Claims Two Lives in Baghdad Ministry Assault
(MENAFN) A federal police officer and a civilian lost their lives Sunday when armed assailants launched an attack on the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture's office in Baghdad, according to a source from the Interior Ministry.
The ministry reported that the gunmen stormed the building during a morning administrative meeting led by a newly appointed director. As panic erupted among staff, employees immediately contacted security forces for assistance.
Federal police units and emergency teams responded swiftly but came under heavy gunfire upon arrival. Several officers and personnel were injured during the confrontation, the ministry said.
An Interior Ministry source told media that the assault left a federal police member and a civilian—caught in the crossfire—dead, and at least eight security personnel wounded.
The Federal Police Command later confirmed the death of one of its officers in the line of duty.
Authorities have so far apprehended 14 gunmen linked to the assault, according to the Interior Ministry.
Meanwhile, the Security Media Cell, which operates under the Iraqi Joint Operations Command, issued a statement verifying the identities of those detained. The suspects were confirmed to be members of the 45th and 46th brigades of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).
The detainees have been handed over to the judiciary, and legal proceedings are underway, the statement added.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani—who also serves as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces—has ordered the creation of a top-level investigative committee to uncover how the armed group acted without official directives, attempted to seize a government facility, and engaged security personnel with gunfire.
In a statement, the PMF affirmed that its forces function under the authority of the state and its legitimate leadership, emphasizing that any action—whether by individuals or groups—that falls outside this framework constitutes a breach of the law. The PMF made clear it will not tolerate any personnel who disobey orders or breach security procedures.
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