Kataib Hezbollah secretary-general rejects disarmament

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, secretary-general of the Iraqi Shia militia Kataib Hezbollah, said in a written statement that resistance forces will not hand over their weapons, and that the group's arsenal will be preserved and expanded. The remarks were reported by Shafaq News. Hamidawi condemned the joint airstrike by the United States and Saudi Arabia targeting facilities of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), also known as Hashd al-Shaabi, calling it a dangerous precedent that could mark the beginning of a new phase in the region. He said security conditions must be maintained and that resistance activity should continue on military and media fronts. The PMF said on July 29 that U.S. and Saudi warplanes had struck its official headquarters, killing at least 20 members and wounding 32. The attack has drawn condemnation from Iraqi political forces and armed groups. No further details were immediately available.