A number of suspects arrested for attacks on foreign brands in the Iraqi capital are members of the Iraqi security forces, the interior ministry announced on Tuesday.

Baghdad witnessed a number of vandalism and explosion incidents on May 26, 27, and 30.

Targets included KFC Restaurant, Chilli House Lees Restaurant, the Cambridge Institute in Palestine Street, another KFC Restaurant, and the Caterpillar Company in the al-Jadriya area of Karrada.

“These attacks were carried out by individuals using seven vehicles and a motorcycle,” read a statement from the ministry.

Through precise information gathering, the authorities identified the names, workplaces, and residences of the suspects.

The Ministry said that “the matter was presented to the investigative judge, who issued arrest warrants for the perpetrators under the provisions of Article 4 of the Anti-Terrorism Law.”

Judicial arrest warrants have been issued for other suspects, and efforts to track down the remaining wanted individuals are ongoing by the Ministry of Interior and other security agencies.

The Ministry also revealed a concerning detail.

“It was found that, unfortunately, some of them belong to one of the security agencies, and they committed the aforementioned acts under the pretext of harming American interests,” the ministry said, adding that these individuals have been detained in accordance with legal procedures and will be referred to the competent courts.

#BREAKING: Some of those arrested for attacking foreign brands in #Baghdad are affiliated to a branch of the #Iraqi security forces, the Iraqi Interior Ministry announced in a statement.#TheNewRegion pic.twitter.com/KEcmq4umZ0

— The New Region (@thenewregion) June 4, 2024

On Monday, social media platforms circulated images and videos showing individuals attempting to close down a KFC restaurant located on Palestine Street. Another group targeted what they referred to as “American interests”.

Simultaneously, gunshots were heard, reportedly stemming from police efforts to intervene in these attempts.

The capital city of Baghdad witnessed intense congestion on Monday evening, with a noticeable presence of security personnel.

Tensions escalated in the Palestine Street area as individuals attacked American-owned restaurants.

The developments came after senior official in the Iraqi Kataib Hezbollah Abu Ali al-Askari issued a statement on the 35th anniversary of Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini’s death, emphasizing the need to expel Americans from Iraq.

In his statement, Askari underscored that “it is our collective moral and religious duty to boycott and expel espionage-related entities operating under civilian cover. These entities should not be granted freedom to operate within our beloved land, using non-violent means.”

He called upon fellow members of security agencies to support the grassroots movement working towards the expulsion of these members, urging them not to blindly follow orders issued by joint operations with American involvement.