MOD denies the existence of weapons smuggling from Iraqi ports towards Kurdistan

Baghdad - INA

 The Ministry of Defense denied today, Saturday, the existence of weapons smuggling from Iraqi ports towards Kurdistan.

The Ministry said in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “In response to the false and baseless news reported on some social media sites stating that weapons are being smuggled from Iraqi ports towards Iraqi Kurdistan, we would like to clarify in this regard the following:

1- The weapons that They were found in containers inside the port of Um Qasr. They are guns that were imported by the Ministry of Defense under the contract (fms) concluded between the Ministry of Defense and the United States of America.

2- According to the procedures in force in the ports related to removing containers marked with danger from seaports; To maintain safety, there was a higher committee from the Joint Operations Command that began its work to evacuate these containers. It asked the Port Directorate for lists of dangerous containers, and in fact they were provided with that, including containers belonging to the Iraqi Ministry of Defense marked as dangerous containers, according to the manifest, and after examining these containers. It was found that they contained cannons belonging to the Ministry of Defense.

3- After these containers were inspected by a joint committee, they were returned to the port and kept at the port police station until a representative from the Ministry of Defense arrived to complete the procedures and receive them. Being affiliated with the Ministry.

4- There is great cooperation between the Ministry of Defense and the Border Ports Authority regarding the seizure of containers until the required procedures for their evacuation are completed, and in turn we praise the great role played by the members of the Border Ports Authority, led by the head of the Authority, Major General Omar Al-Waeli, for the great efforts they have made in preserving the containers. affiliated with the Ministry until it is received. 

MOD added, "It will reserve its legal right to respond to anyone who tries to harm the reputation of this ancient institution, and the Iraqi judiciary will be the decisive factor in this matter.".

The Ministry called on media professionals to "be careful and investigate facts from official sources before transmitting and promoting news that contributes to creating a state of chaos and confusion and harms state institutions."