Baghdad: An explosion erupted in logistics warehouses south of Baghdad on Thursday, affecting facilities connected to former pro-Iran paramilitary groups, officials reported.

The incident occurred at 7:00 pm (1600 GMT) in the Yusufiyah area, specifically impacting the 42 Brigade's logistics warehouses, according to the Hashed al-Shaabi, an alliance of pro-Iranian former paramilitary groups now part of the regular Iraqi army.

The cause of the explosion remains unknown, and a committee has been appointed by the Hashed to investigate. Firefighters are currently working to control the blaze.

A security source confirmed the explosion and noted that it happened in a warehouse storing equipment for Hashed al-Shaabi. A Hashed official mentioned that an air strike could not be ruled out as a potential cause.

In a similar incident in April, an explosion at a military base housing Hashed groups in Babylon province, south of Baghdad, resulted in one death and eight injuries. That explosion was found to be due to munitions stored on-site rather than an air strike.

Hashed al-Shaabi is a key component of Iraq's security forces and operates under the prime minister's authority. It includes some pro-Iran groups known for conducting numerous attacks against US forces in Iraq and Syria.

This recent blast follows an incident on Tuesday when two drones targeted an Iraqi base used by US-led troops, causing no damage.

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