Iraqi military denies reports of secret foreign bases in Karbala desert

Iraqi military denies reports of secret foreign bases in Karbala desert The Iraqi Armed Forces denied reports of unauthorised foreign military installations in the country, rejecting claims of a secret military presence in the deserts near Karbala and Najaf. In a statement posted on X, the military said the rumours stemmed from a clash on 5 March involving Iraqi security forces and what it described as “unidentified, unlicensed detachments”. According to the statement, Iraqi forces pushed the group back despite it receiving air cover, with the fighting resulting in the death of one Iraqi soldier and injuries to two others.