UPDATE 2 - 1 killed, 8 injured in explosion at Hashd al-Shaabi militia group’s headquarters

UPDATES WITH VISIT BY CHIEF OF STAFF

By Anadolu staff

At least one member of the Hashd al-Shaabi militia group was killed and eight others were injured on Saturday in an explosion that targeted its headquarters in the Babil province in central Iraq.

In a statement, the Iraqi Security Media Cell said one member of the Hashd al-Shaabi group was killed, while eight others, including an army member, were injured as a result of an explosion inside the Kalsu military base in the northern Babil province.

The media cell also said an Air Defense Command report showed that there were no aircraft in the airspace of Babil before and during the explosion.

“The heroes of the Civil Defense in Babil and the supporting parties made great efforts, quick measures and reinforcements that prevented the fire from spreading to greater distances and were able to control it in record time,” it said.

A specialized higher technical committee from civil defense and other relevant groups was formed to determine the causes of the explosion and fires at the site and surroundings of the accident area, the media cell added.

Meanwhile, the paramilitary group’s chief of staff arrived on Saturday at the Babil province to visit the explosion site.

In a statement, the Hashd al-Shaabi militia group said the “chief of staff, Abdulaziz Al-Muhammadawi, arrived at the Babil Command site.”

“Muhammadawi was briefed on the location of the explosion that affected the Babil Command military site,” the statement said.

The chief of staff reviewed “the details of the investigative committees present in the place that was attacked.”

He also visited “the wounded and ordered the provision of maximum health care.”

Earlier on Saturday, the Hashd al-Shaabi militia group confirmed that an explosion had occurred at its headquarters in the Kalsu military base in the Babil province in central Iraq.

The explosion caused material losses and injuries, the paramilitary group said.

Meanwhile, the Baghdad Today News Agency reported that “unidentified aircraft targeted the headquarters of Hashd al-Shaabi forces with two missiles at the Kalsu base in Babil province.”

The local Shafaq News agency also quoted an unnamed security source as recording the injury of three members of the Hashd al-Shaabi militia group during a missile strike targeting the Kalsu military base.

The US, meanwhile, denied involvement in the blast.

"We are aware of reports claiming that the United States conducted airstrikes in Iraq today. Those reports are not true," the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement.

Israel also said it was not involved in the blast, according to CNN, citing an official.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi