Iraq militia chief arrested over attacks on base hosting U.S. forces – security sources

Baghdad (Reuters) – Iraqi security forces on Wednesday arrested senior militia commander Qasim Muslih under the country’s anti-terrorism law, three security sources said.

Muslih was arrested in Baghdad for involvement in several attacks including recent assaults on Ain al-Asad air base, which hosts U.S. and other international forces, two of the security sources with direct knowledge of the arrest told Reuters.

Muslih is the Anbar province head of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), a grouping of mostly Shi’ite militias backed by Iran, which the United States regards as the biggest threat to security in the Middle East.

A copy of the arrest warrant issued for Muslih that circulated on social media and was verified by the security sources said that he was arrested under the anti-terrorism law, but did not have further information.

The air base was attacked at least twice this month with rockets and an unmanned aerial surveillance system.