ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) on Saturday said that the explosion in the force’s Baghdad ammunition depot was caused by an “internal malfunction,” adding that there is no indications of “any external targeting.”

The PMF statement came shortly after Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered an investigation into the explosion to “ascertain the precise causes of the incident,” according to Iraq’s Security Media Cell.

The depot was located in a residential area in southern Baghdad, according to The New Region’s correspondent. The PMF said that at least five personnel were left with “minor injuries” as a result of the incident.

A similar explosion rocked another ammunition depot of the PMF in eastern Diyala province in June, causing a fire but no casualties.

The PMF is an Iraqi state-integrated network of predominantly Shiite armed groups established in 2014 to fight the Islamic State. While formally part of Iraq's security apparatus, several factions maintain close ties to Iran.

Baghdad has renewed efforts to restructure the PMF, consolidate weapons under state control, and reduce the influence of Iran-backed factions within the security framework.