Iraqi military officials said on Saturday they launched a comprehensive investigation into a large explosion that occurred past midnight at a military base in Iraq’s central province of Babil.
A technical committee comprised of members from the civil defence and other relevant parties was formed to determine the cause of the blast and subsequent fire at Camp Kalsu, located in northern Babil province, according to a statement from the Security Media Cell, a media outlet affiliated with the Iraqi Joint Operations Command.
Preliminary information from the US-led international coalition forces in Iraq and the Pentagon indicated there was no airstrike activity or other military action conducted within Babil province at the time of the explosion, the statement added.
Furthermore, reports from the Iraqi Air Defense Command confirmed there were no drones or aircraft in the province’s airspace before or during the explosion, the statement said. It noted that further details would be released following the investigation.
The explosion occurred at approximately 1:00 a.m. local time (10:00 p.m. GMT on Friday) and was followed by a fire at Camp Kalsu, which houses bases of the Iraqi army, federal police, and Hashd Shaabi forces.
According to the latest reports, one Hashd Shaabi fighter was killed and eight others were injured, including a soldier.
Meanwhile, the US Central Command stated on Saturday via a post on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, “The United States has not conducted airstrikes in Iraq today.”
US media outlet CNN quoted an Israeli official as denying involvement in the attack on the Kalsu military base in Iraq.
Abu Alaa al-Walai, secretary-general of the Iranian-backed Sayyed al-Shuhada Brigades, a faction within the Iraqi Hashd Shaabi Forces, said in an online statement, “A response will be given to whoever is behind the sinful attack on the Hashd Shaabi base after the investigation is completed.”
