ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) have arrested a man identified as Razzaq Hasaj in the Qurna district of Basra province, a security source told The New Region on Friday.

The source said the suspect was a former member of the Baath Party, adding that the arrest was part of efforts by security forces to track former members who may have been involved in acts of violence during previous popular uprisings.

“The suspect will be questioned by the competent judicial authorities before his case is referred to court in line with legal procedures,” the source said.

He added that the operation is part of ongoing efforts to review past violations and ensure accountability for those involved in crimes against civilians.

The source stressed that the PMF continues to coordinate with judicial bodies to enforce the law while upholding citizens’ rights and ensuring justice.

In August, former Iraqi Prime Minister and head of the State of Law Coalition, Nouri al-Maliki, urged authorities to take legal action against any current or former officials found to have ties to the outlawed Baath Party.

Maliki called for stronger support for the National Accountability and Justice Commission, emphasizing the need to enforce laws banning Baathist activity and to ensure that no individuals with past affiliations hold government or parliamentary positions.

His remarks came amid renewed warnings from Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council, which reaffirmed that individuals linked to the former Baath Party would be barred from participating in the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for November 11.

The Baath Party, which ruled Iraq from 1968 until the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime in 2003, remains banned under the Iraqi constitution, with security forces, including the PMF, reporting several recent arrests of individuals accused of promoting Baathist ideology.