Iraqi PM dismisses nine officials over Babil fuel smuggling case

Dismissals and judicial referrals

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi dismissed nine security and administrative officials on Saturday and ordered that all suspects in a fuel smuggling case in central Babil province be referred to the judiciary, the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported. Al-Zaidi took the decisions after chairing an emergency security meeting to review the findings of a committee investigating smuggling in Jurf al-Nasr, in northern Babil, armed forces spokesperson Sabah al-Numan told INA.

Al-Numan said the committee corroborated a federal intelligence report on fuel smuggling, confirmed the presence of oil refineries and documented instances of tampering.

Officials removed from their posts

Those dismissed included Babil’s police chief, the northern Babil police director and the provincial directors of the Interior Ministry’s intelligence and counterterrorism service, the National Security Service, the Defense Ministry’s intelligence and security service, and the intelligence service. Babil’s Popular Mobilization Forces commander, the commander of the Interior Ministry’s 6th Energy Police Brigade and the director of the Oil Ministry’s Oil Pipelines Company were also removed.

Al-Zaidi ordered provincial operations and police commanders, as well as security and intelligence chiefs, to take responsibility for oil smuggling in their jurisdictions. He demanded tighter oversight and security measures, and said officials who failed to carry out their duties would be held accountable. “There will not be an inch of Iraq where smuggling is allowed to continue, from Zakho to Basra,” he said.

Committee and governor’s resignation

The committee began fieldwork on Friday, two days after al-Zaidi ordered its formation to investigate reports of petroleum product smuggling. Saad Maan, head of Iraq’s Security Media Cell, said no political groups or armed factions were part of the committee.

Babil Gov. Ali Turki al-Jamali announced on Thursday that he had submitted his resignation, without giving a reason. Two days earlier, he had denied the smuggling reports after visiting the area with journalists, saying the site in question was an old fuel station serving vehicles belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces and federal police.

Intelligence assessment and background

Before the inquiry began, Iraqi media reported that a 19-page intelligence assessment had identified suspected smuggling dating to 2021, drawing on satellite imagery, geospatial analysis and tanker movements. Media reports citing the assessment also alleged that armed factions were involved.

Iraqi forces and Popular Mobilization Forces factions retook Jurf al-Nasr, formerly known as Jurf al-Sakhar, from the ISIS (Daesh) terror group in 2014. The area remains under tight security restrictions, and many of the displaced residents have yet to return.