ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Iraqi intelligence on Monday slammed “harmful” statements, after a militia leader accused the service of becoming run by a foreign security team. Qais al-Khazali, Secretary-General of the Iranian-backed militia Asaib Ahl al-Haq, claimed in a tweet on Sunday that he had reliable information that Iraq had brought in an Emirati security team to manage the Iraqi National Intelligence Service, after the transfer of 300 members of the intelligence service, including officers, to the border authority. "Has Iraq reached this level of weakness in order to be permissible in this way? Is it not that whenever the Emirates enter a village, they spoil it, as they did in Yemen and Libya?!" Khazali tweeted, describing the matter as "a conspiracy that is being hatched against Iraq." Not naming Khazali, the intelligence service hit back at what they say is misinformation. “The Iraqi National Intelligence Service regrets that it has to respond and clarify such unjust accusations from some political and media groups based on completely false information,” reads a statement from the service released on Monday. Headed by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, the service stated that the unfair statements are "harmful for the reputation of the agency and the patriotism of its officers and employees." The statement added that the administrative procedure of transferring the members was in response to the request of the Border Ports Committee, which needs the support of more security staff. Earlier on Monday, Kadhimi affirmed his country's keenness to "establish better relations with Arab states and various countries of the world," in a statement from the PM’s office during his visit to the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "We have no intentions to engage in regional and international hubs that suggest bias or isolation of Iraq," Kadhimi added. The premier said his government has succeeded in reducing the number of foreign forces and that soft power must take its course. "The weapons that Iraq has possessed have led to nothing but destruction and futile wars". Sadiqoun bloc representative Hassan Salem, who represents Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia in parliament, attacked the Iraqi intelligence service, saying that it should be "purified of the traitors" that coordinate with the United States. He called for the returning of the transferred agency officers, which he described as "competent agents" with sensitive information about terrorists and "tools of sabotage within the demonstrations.” He demanded the House of Representatives to question Kadhimi about the Emirati security team. A little-known militia group, Ashab al-Kahf, issued a statement on its official Telegram channel Monday night, condemning the transfer of the intelligence service officers, threatening to “humiliate” Kadhimi for his actions. The militia also threatened to escalate military operations by means of missile attacks against foreign forces in Iraq, saying, "Leave Iraq or your souls will leave your bodies." Several rockets hit Balad Air Base in Salahaddin province Monday night, according to security sources and media.
