3 people wounded in clashes between Hezbollah, Iraqi police in Baghdad

Baghdad (Iraqinews.com) – Three people were wounded Wednesday in a firefight between Iraqi police and Iraq’s Hezbollah militias in the capital Baghdad, a security source said.

“The clashes erupted after a police patrol stopped a car in the Palestine Street in Baghdad. Later on, a five-vehicle convoy of Hezbollah arrived at the scene and clashed with the police forces before fleeing the scene,” the source told Al Arab Al Yawm newspaper.

“Iraqi security forces sealed off the headquarters of Iraq’s Hezbollah in Baghdad,” the source said. “Following negotiations between police and Hezbollah leaders, the latter agreed to hand over the fighters who had fired on the police patrol.”

According to the source, three people were wounded in the faceoff, including two policemen and a Hezbollah fighter.

Kata’ib Hezbollah, or Hezbollah Brigades, is an Iraqi Shia paramilitary group supported by Iran. The group, which is a component of the Iran-backed al-Hashd al-Shaabi fighters, played a role in Iraq’s wars against Islamic State and American Invasion forces.

The group’s structure is not known, but Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an adviser to Iran’s Quds Force and a former Badr Organization member, is known to be a senior figure in the group.