14 men arrested in Iraq attacks targeting U.S. installations

BAGHDAD — Iraqi security forces arrested over a dozen men suspected of a spate of rocket attacks against the U.S. presence in Iraq, the Iraqi military said Friday — the strongest action to date by the new government in Baghdad against perpetrators suspected of ties to Iran.

The arrests marked a bold move by the government to crack down on groups that have long been a source of tension for U.s.-iraq relations. Two senior Iraqi officials, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said the 14 men who were arrested had ties to an Iran-backed militia group.

A series of rockets have struck close to U.S. installations inside the Green Zone and an Iraqi army base near to the airport in the Iraqi capital since Baghdad embarked on strategic talks with Washington on June 11.

The U.S. has blamed Iran-backed militia group Kataib Hezbollah for orchestrating attacks against its embassy and American troops inside Iraqi bases, and criticized the Iraqi government for not identifying and arresting the culprits.

The recent attacks posed a challenge for Prime Minister Mustafa al-kadhimi, who was sworn in last month. His administration pledged to crack down on the groups behind the attacks at the start of strategic talks, according to senior U.S. officials.

The next test for al-kadhimi rests on the ability of the courts to prosecute the men. Mansour’s research suggests Kataib Hezbollah wields some influence over Iraq’s judiciary through key political officials. “This will be difficult,” he said.

Reactions from some political leaders and Iran-backed militia groups highlighted tensions that might arise between state security forces and militia groups in the aftermath of the raid.

Following the arrests, armed groups in government vehicles entered the heavily fortified Green Zone “without official approval” and surrounded the headquarters of the counter-terrorism agency, a military statement issued after the arrests said. The Green Zone houses government buildings and foreign embassies.

The statement said further intelligence reports indicated another plot targeting the Green Zone.