12 Iraqis were injured after large explosions were reported at a warehouse for handling explosives in the Madain area east of Baghdad, according to the international Arabic London-based newspaper Asharq Al Awsat. Some reports attributed the explosions to a drone attack, while others claimed that the explosions were caused by a fire due to improper storage. One officer, six members of the explosive training center, four members of the Federal Police Explosives Laboratory and a member of the Nineveh Emergency Regiment were injured in the incident. According to Asharq Al-Awsat, eyewitness reports confirmed that some material damage was caused to nearby civilian houses. The Iraqi Interior Ministry announced on Monday that it had opened an investigation into the explosion. In August, one person was killed and 29 others were injured in an explosion at a weapons depot south of Baghdad belonging to an Iranian-backed Shi'ite militia. Sources in Iraq issued conflicting statements as to the cause of the attack. Some claimed that it was an accident caused by improper storage, while others claimed that Israel and the US attacked the depot. A police source said the fire was probably caused by negligence leading to poor storage conditions and high temperatures, according to Reuters. Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi ordered an investigation into the incident. In September, Abdul-Mahdi blamed Israel for multiple attacks on positions belonging to the Iranian-backed Shi'ite Popular Mobilization Forces militia, according to Al Jazeera. Multiple air strikes have hit bases held by Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias in Iraq since the beginning of July. Recent attacks have hit positions near the Syria-Iraq border.
