Two Hashd personnel briefly detained in Karbala over photo display

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Two members of the Popular Mobilization Forces' (Hashd al-Shaabi) Logistics Support Directorate were briefly detained by Iraq's Internal Affairs Ministry's Order Protection Force in Karbala after attempting to hang photographs of Iran's former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, late Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Qasem Soleimani on a private building on the city's Republic Street, citing missing administrative permits. The Order Protection Force removed the photographs, arguing that the necessary authorizations had not been obtained, despite claims that the building was privately owned and that required conditions had been met. The incident prompted debate in the Iraqi Parliament, where MP Ahmed Shahid called on the Parliamentary Presidency to ask the Security and Defense Committee to open an investigation into Brigadier General Anwar Nasrawi. Nujaba Movement Executive Council head Sheikh Nazim al-Saidi said the photo-hanging action did not reflect the local government's position. Following a phone call between MP Ala al-Haidari and Brigadier General Nasrawi, the two personnel were released, the photographs were rehung, and Nasrawi apologized for the administrative confusion. The episode took place on the same route that Khamenei's funeral convoy passed through in August, as Karbala remains under heightened security ahead of the upcoming Arbaeen pilgrimage.