Iraqi military launches probe into explosion at base in Iraq

Baghdad, April 21 (IANS) The Iraqi military has said that it launched a thorough investigation into a huge explosion occurring after midnight at a military base in Iraq's central province of Babil.

A technical committee from the civil defense and other relevant parties was formed to find out the cause of the explosion and fire at a military base known as Camp Kalsu, in the northern part of Babil province, according to a statement on Saturday from the Security Media Cell, a media outlet affiliated with the Iraqi Joint Operations Command.

The preliminary information, issued by the US-led international coalition forces in Iraq and the Pentagon, indicated that there is no air activity or military action throughout Babil province, said the statement as quoted by Xinhua news agency report.

In addition, reports from the Iraqi Air Defence Command confirmed that there were no drones or aircraft in the airspace of the province before and during the explosion, it said, noting that further details will be released after the investigation.

The explosion occurred at about 1:00 a.m. local time and was followed by a fire in Camp Kalsu, which houses bases of the Iraqi army, federal police, and Hashd Shaabi forces, leaving one Hashd Shaabi fighter killed and eight others injured, including a soldier, according to the latest reports.

Meanwhile, the US Central Command said on Saturday in a post on social media platform X, "The US has not conducted airstrikes in Iraq today."

CNN quoted an Israeli official as saying that Israel was not involved in the attack on the Kalsu military base in Iraq.

Abu Alaa al-Walai, Secretary-General of the Iranian-backed Sayyed al-Shuhada Brigades, which is part of the Iraqi Hashd Shaabi Forces, said in an online statement that "a response will be given to whoever is behind the sinful attack on the Hashd Shaabi base after completing the investigation".

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