Popular Mobilization Forces Base in Central Iraq Targeted in Second Lethal Strike Within 48 Hours

Several PMF members wounded in a central Iraq strike. The attack follows a deadly hit in Kirkuk as the US-Iran war spills into Iraqi territory.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 11, 2026, 9:26 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Anadolu Agency

Central Iraq Becomes Newest Theater for Aerial Bombardment

A strategic headquarters belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces in central Iraq’s Wasit province came under attack on Wednesday, resulting in numerous injuries among personnel. Security sources confirmed that the strike targeted facilities in the Suwayra district, though no state or military entity has yet formally claimed responsibility for the operation. Following the blast, Iraqi security forces established a security cordon around the perimeter of the facility to assess the damage and facilitate the transport of the wounded to local medical centers.

Rising Casualty Count Amidst Sequential Attacks

The Wasit strike follows a more lethal engagement on Tuesday in northern Iraq’s Kirkuk province, where a "blatant attack" on the PMF’s 40th Brigade resulted in the deaths of six members. The Iraqi army has officially condemned these maneuvers as violations of national sovereignty, though they occur amidst a backdrop of widespread regional instability. The proximity of these strikes suggests a systematic campaign targeting the infrastructure of the Hashd al-Shaabi, a group that maintains a complex status as both a volunteer force and a formally incorporated branch of the Iraqi armed forces.

Militia Infrastructure Caught in Regional Crossfire

The escalating violence against the PMF is inextricably linked to the broader conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, which intensified significantly on February 28. With over 1,200 reported fatalities and 10,000 injuries since the initial wave of airstrikes on Iranian territory, the regional security architecture has effectively collapsed. Iraqi territory has increasingly served as a transit point or target for retaliatory strikes, as Tehran and its adversaries trade drone and missile fire across the Levant and the Gulf.