ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Supporters of Iraqi armed factions stormed the office of MBC Iraq in Baghdad in the early hours of Saturday in protest of a recent news report by its parent channel which refers to late "Axis of Resistance" leaders as "terrorists".

The report by the Saudi media conglomerate titled “the millennium of eliminating terrorists” highlights a series of Axis of Resistance leaders that “the world has been relieved from” since the start of the 2000’s, including most recently Yahya Sinwar, political bureau chief of the Palestinian Hamas.

The 15-minute video report also mentions former Hamas politburo chief Ismail Hanieyh, former Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, as well influential Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani and former Kataib Hezbollah leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, two highly-venerated figures among Shiite Iraqis, labeling them “terrorists” and “evil”.

The report refers to Soleimani as a "symbol of terrorism" and “creator of destruction and war,” and describes Muhandis as “the founder of several Iraqi militias which contributed to assassinations and explosions inside and outside of Iraq.”

The video was deleted from MBC’s social media platforms and YouTube channel after receiving heavy backlash, including from Hamas which described the report as “A professional, media and moral downfall that is consistent with the Zionist propaganda and narrative that seeks to demonize the resistance and its symbols.”

The Palestinian group called on the Saudi channel to immediately delete the report, issue an apology, and amend “this malicious editorial approach which is in line with the occupation agenda.”

Demonstrators carrying flags of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an Iraq-state sponsored armed network mainly comprised of pro-Iran Shiite factions, gathered in front of the office of MBC Iraq in the early hours of Saturday, shouting chants against the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia’s ruling royal family House of Saud.

The protesters later stormed the office, trashing the place and setting fire to the building.

Supporters of Iraqi armed factions storm the MBC Iraq building in Baghdad in protest of a recent news report by the Saudi channel which refers to late "Axis of Resistance" leaders as "terrorists"

The report describes late IRGC commander Qasem Soleimani as a "symbol of terrorism" pic.twitter.com/4T8jvet5j8

— The New Region (@thenewregion) October 19, 2024

There have been no official statements from Iraqi authorities as of the time of this writing. Independent Iraqi Shiite lawmaker Mustafa Sanad strongly criticized MBC for the report, equating the channel to an Israeli media.

“Government-backed MBC IRAQ channel, the issue does not end with breaking or burning, there is no place for you in Iraq, and work will be done to cancel your license, and the name of Iraq will not be defamed by clients,” wrote Sanad on Facebook.

Sinwar, who assumed leadership of Hamas in August, was killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza on Wednesday. His predecessor Haniyeh was killed in a strike in Tehran in late July.

Israel has carried out a series of high-profile assassinations of Axis of Resistance leaders in recent months, primarily senior figures of the Lebanese Hezbollah, including the group’s former chief Nasrallah, top military commander Fuad Shukr, senior leader Ibrahim Aqil, and commander of the group's missile and rocket units Ibrahim Qubaisi. Abbas Nilforoushan, a senior commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was also killed alongside Nasrallah in late September.