2026-05-11T21:01:31+00:00

font

Enable Reading Mode

A-
A
A+

Shafaq News-
Baghdad

Iraq’s Joint
Operations Command (JOC) on Monday reiterated that no unauthorized foreign
forces are operating on Iraqi territory, dismissing recent reports and
political claims about a secret “Israeli base” in the country’s western desert.

In a statement,
the command described allegations regarding foreign military sites in the
desert areas of Karbala and Najaf provinces as inaccurate, urging media outlets
and politicians not to circulate “unverified information.”

It referred
to a March 5, 2026 security incident east of al-Nukhaib, where Iraqi forces
from Karbala and Najaf clashed with “unidentified and unauthorized detachments”
backed by aircraft, leaving one Iraqi security member dead, two others wounded,
and a military vehicle damaged.

According to
the JOC, Iraqi forces later intensified operations and maintained a security
presence across the area, prompting the groups to withdraw under aerial cover,
as regular search missions continue across desert sectors extending to Iraq’s
international borders.

The command
also accused some political figures of exploiting the case through statements
made “without knowledge of the facts,” warning that such claims damage Iraq’s
reputation and undermine its security institutions. It further warned of legal
action against anyone spreading “misleading information or malicious rumors”
that harm Iraq’s sovereignty.

The Israeli
newspaper Maariv reported on Sunday that Israel had operated a secret military
base in Iraq’s western desert during the 2026 war with Iran, allegedly
deploying commando teams, emergency medical units, and special forces to the
remote area. The JOC later announced that search operations in the western
desert found no evidence of foreign troops or military equipment.

A lawmaker
from Iraq’s Shiite Badr bloc, however, told Shafaq News on Monday that a joint
“US-Israeli” military camp still exists in western Iraq. The MP also criticized
the Interior Ministry, the Joint Operations Command, and border forces, noting
that the area falls under the responsibility of Iraq’s border guards.