IRI’s Awliyaa al-Dam rejects attack on Iraqi intelligence headquarters in Baghdad

2026-03-21 - 17:51

Shafaq News- Baghdad Saraya Awliyaa al-Dam, an Iraqi armed faction within the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), on Saturday urged Iraq’s Security Media Cell to avoid “hasty” statements until the facts are clear, after a drone strike targeted the headquarters of the Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) in Baghdad, killing an officer. Speaking to Shafaq News, Abu Mahdi al-Jaafari, the military spokesperson for Awliyaa al-Dam Brigades, clarified that the IRI does not target diplomatic missions or Iraqi institutions, noting that its operations are directed solely at US targets. Al-Jaafari also called on political forces to “invest in the resistance’s victories” to end what he described as US dominance over Iraqi decision-making, asserting that Washington is now in a weak position. Earlier, Saad Mann, head of the Security Media Cell, reported that a drone struck the Iraqi intelligence headquarters in the al-Mansour district of Baghdad at 10:15 a.m. The Iraqi National Intelligence Service later confirmed that one of its officers was killed in the attack, describing it as a “terrorist act” carried out by outlaw groups. The service further described the strike as a “desperate attempt” to prevent it from fulfilling its professional duties, pledging to continue its mission while pursuing those responsible through legal channels.