Iraq’s Kata’ib Hezbollah: Disarmament Reports ’Lies and Fabrications’

By Staff, Agencies

A senior Iraqi anti-terror group has dismissed recent claims suggesting it is preparing to disarm in response to potential US military strikes as "lies and fabrications."

In a statement released to local Iraqi media on Monday, Kata'ib Hezbollah (Hezbollah Brigades) reiterated that only their authorized spokespersons, Mohammed Mohi and military spokesman Jaafar Al-Husseini, are credible sources for official statements regarding the group, declaring any other statements as false.

They called upon global media “to be accurate and credible in their publications and to obtain information from [Kataib Hezbollah’s] authentic sources,” warning of legal action against spreading misinformation.

This comes after a Reuters report from April 7 cited ten senior Iraqi figures, including six commanders from factions as saying the group planned to disarm as a strategy to avoid conflict with the US.

According to the report, a commander from Kata'ib Hezbollah who spoke on condition of anonymity, said "Trump is ready to take the war with us to worse levels, We want to avoid a bad scenario." 

The assertion has been dismissed as false by the group.

Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units, also known as Hashd al-Sha'abi, which includes the Hezbollah Brigades along with several other groups, issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to maintain military readiness.

They emphasized their crucial role in protecting Iraq's borders and their significance within the country's military framework.

The PMU became an integral part of Iraq's security forces following their pivotal involvement in defeating the Daesh terrorist group and liberating northern and western Iraq between 2014 and 2017.