Fatal Explosion Rocks Popular Mobilisation Forces Base in Baghdad
A deadly blast at a Popular Mobilisation Forces facility in Baghdad leaves one dead and four injured. Officials cite detonated obsolete ammunition.
POLICY WIRE — Baghdad, Iraq — A powerful explosion struck a headquarters belonging to the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) in eastern Baghdad on Saturday, resulting in one fatality and leaving four other members wounded.
Security and medical officials confirmed the casualties following the incident, which occurred on October 17, 2026. The blast triggered a fire at the facility, though authorities have since managed to bring the blaze under control.
In an official statement, the Popular Mobilization Commission (PMC) attributed the incident to the detonation of damaged and obsolete ammunition stored at the site. The commission specifically identified the materials as explosives previously recovered from Islamic State terrorist groups, which were being held within an office of the Explosives Ordnance Disposal Directorate.
The PMF, an Iraqi state-integrated network primarily composed of Shiite armed factions, was originally formed in 2014 to combat the Islamic State. This event follows a similar incident in early November 2025, when an explosion at a PMF office resulted in one death and two injuries.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
