Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraq’s National Security Service (INSS) successfully seized 25 drone frames and closed an illegal operational production facility in Baghdad.
During a security briefing on Thursday, INSS spokesperson Arshad al-Hakim said that the whole unlawful enterprise was dismantled before production could be completed.
The security operation led to the arrest of three suspects and the seizure of 25 specialized drone frames along with various manufacturing equipment.
Officials have not identified the individuals or confirmed their affiliation; however, investigations are underway to discover whether they are associated with groups plotting national security threats.
The operation is not the only major drone-related engagement by Iraqi forces during the month of August. It is consistent with the Iraqi judiciary’s broad instruction urging courts to process illicit drone production, possession, or use severely under the state’s Anti-Terrorism Law.
Drone manufacture in Iraq is essentially an underground network of temporary assembly workshops.
Local militias have used one-way explosive drones and commercially modified unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as their primary weapons. These groups use these means to exert their regional influence and put pressure on foreign interests.