Iraq Interior Minister Dismisses Security Commanders, Orders Detentions After Rocket Attack Baghdad Airport

Peregraf — Iraq’s Interior Minister, Abdul Amir al-Shammari, has ordered the dismissal and detention of several senior security officials in Baghdad’s Al-Mada'in sector following a rocket attack targeting Baghdad International Airport, the ministry said on Monday.

The decision comes after what authorities described as a serious security breach late Sunday, when four rockets were launched from within the Al-Mada'in area toward the airport, one of the country’s most sensitive strategic facilities.

According to an official statement, al-Shammari directed the immediate removal of the Director of the Al-Mada'in Police Department, the head of the Intelligence Department in the sector, and the commander of the 2nd Regiment of the 4th Brigade of the Federal Police. All three officials have been placed in detention pending the outcome of an investigation into alleged dereliction of duty and failure to carry out their assigned security responsibilities.

The Interior Ministry also announced the formation of a special investigative committee tasked with examining how the attack was carried out and identifying the security lapses that enabled rockets to be launched from within the commanders’ jurisdiction.

The probe will focus on gaps in surveillance, response readiness, and coordination among security units operating in the area, officials said.

Al-Shammari stressed that Iraqi security forces would adopt a zero-tolerance approach toward negligence, particularly when it comes to protecting vital infrastructure such as Baghdad International Airport, which has repeatedly been targeted in past attacks amid ongoing regional tensions.

“The security establishment will not tolerate any negligence or complacency,” the minister said in the statement, adding that accountability measures would be enforced against any personnel found to have failed in safeguarding their assigned sectors.

The swift disciplinary measures signal an effort by the Interior Ministry to demonstrate accountability and restore public confidence, as Iraq continues to face sporadic attacks linked to armed groups operating within and around the capital.