Iraq: Denial of Presence of Unauthorized Foreign Bases in the Country and Chief of Staff Visits Al-Nukhayb

SadaNews - Iraq has strongly denied the presence of any unauthorized bases or forces on its territory, specifically in the desert areas of Karbala and Najaf. The Iraqi Chief of Staff visits "Al-Nukhayb" following allegations of foreign bases, and the Popular Mobilization Forces announce the launch of a large military operation called "Imposing Sovereignty" in the deserts of Najaf and Karbala in central Iraq, aimed at securing the area.

The Security Media Cell of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command stated in a statement: "We are closely following what is being circulated regarding statements and news about the presence of unauthorized bases and forces on Iraqi territory, specifically in the Karbala desert east of Al-Nukhayb and Najaf."

It added: "We have previously confirmed that this relates to an incident that occurred on March 5, 2026."

It clarified in the details of the incident that "an Iraqi security force moved from the Karbala Operations Command and from Najaf and engaged with unauthorized and unidentified squads supported by aircraft at that time."

It pointed out that this engagement "resulted in the martyrdom of an Iraqi security forces fighter, the injury of two others, and damage to a military vehicle."

It continued: "There was insistence from our security sectors to reach this area and its surroundings and to continue pressure and presence there, which forced the unauthorized squads to leave and withdraw taking advantage of the aerial cover they had."

It mentioned that "Iraqi security sectors and their various leaderships continue to inspect all sectors, particularly in desert areas, regularly reaching the international borders with all neighboring countries."

It confirmed that there have been no unauthorized bases or forces at any time in the past period.

The Security Media Cell stated: "Some are trying to exploit this incident politically, and there are competitions in statements without knowing the facts."

It added, "All these statements harm the reputation of Iraq and its security leaderships, which confirm, even assert, that there are no unauthorized forces or bases currently on Iraqi territory."

It emphasized that "necessary legal actions will be taken against anyone who attempts to spread misleading information or rumors that send negative messages about the sovereignty of Iraq."

The head of the Security Media Cell in the Iraqi Joint Operations Command, Saad Ma’an, denied in a statement issued on Sunday media reports that spoke about the presence of foreign bases in his country.

This followed claims by the American newspaper "The Wall Street Journal", citing unnamed sources, that Israel had established a secret military site in the desert of Iraq to support its attacks against Iran, with the knowledge of the United States.

The newspaper attributed to Iraqi media reports that a shepherd reported in early March seeing unusual military activities in the area, including helicopters flying, and that the Iraqi army sent a force to the area to verify the situation.

It added that Israeli forces had conducted airstrikes that kept the Iraqi force away from the site.

On March 5, the deputy commander of the Iraqi Joint Operations, Qais Al-Muhammadawi, reported in a televised statement that information had reached from a shepherd in the desert of Najaf bordering Karbala about the presence of a military force in the area.

Al-Muhammadawi added that an Iraqi military force was dispatched to the area, but before reaching 15 kilometers from the specified site, the force came under intense aerial fire, resulting in the death of a soldier and the injury of two and damage to two vehicles.

He continued that military reinforcements were sent, and Iraqi forces were able to search the area, but nothing was found, and it appeared that there was "a certain force on the ground that was supported from the air."

Iraq later filed a complaint with the United Nations, stating that this attack involved the participation of foreign forces and airstrikes, blaming the United States for the responsibility.

The Iraqi Chief of Staff Inspects "Al-Nukhayb" After Allegations of Foreign Bases

In this context, the Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Army, Abdul Amir Rashid Yar Allah, arrived today, Tuesday, at the strategic Al-Nukhayb district in western Iraq, heading a high-level military delegation to assess the security situation in the area.

The Iraqi News Agency "INA" reported that "Yar Allah arrived at the Al-Nukhayb district accompanied by a high-level military delegation to assess the security situation."

The agency quoted the Ministry of Defense as saying that "the visit aims to follow up on security preparations and to be aware of the latest developments within the area of responsibility."

The visit gains exceptional importance in terms of timing and location, coming just hours after a statement issued by the Iraqi Joint Operations Command which reiterated its strong denial of the presence of any unauthorized foreign bases or forces in the deserts of Karbala, Najaf, and Al-Nukhayb.

At the same time, the Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq announced today, Tuesday, the launch of a large military operation called "Imposing Sovereignty" in the deserts of Najaf and Karbala in central Iraq, aimed at securing the area.