The Militia Digest

Akram al-Kaabi (Nujaba — secretary-general) threatened on September 2 that any U.S. soldier remaining in Iraq after September 30 would not return safely. His official leader channel originated the statement, while Al-Nujaba TV (Nujaba — official) and Al-Ittijah TV (KH — official) repeated it. He said Nujaba was ready for a “decisive battle” unless foreign forces withdrew completely from Iraqi land and airspace. The September 30 threat reached press reports the same day, including his warning that remaining soldiers would return as corpses. The date had previously framed debate over coalition withdrawal and faction weapons, but al-Kaabi attached a violent consequence to it without announcing mobilization or an operation.

Gunmen not identified in the PMF statement attacked a PMF Brigade 16 checkpoint in Altun Kupri around 02:00 on September 3. The PMF said Ali Bahjat Hamid was killed and Junaid Ismat Bahjat wounded. Al-Ahad TV (AAH — official) named the dead fighter, while Sabereen News (KH — affiliated) relayed the full casualty account. Ten of 33 watched channels across five networks surged on Altun Kupri. Al-Ghadeer TV (Badr Organization — official) and Al-Ittijah reported an army-PMF search. None named the attacker, and no militia claimed responsibility. Separately, four channels reported a PMF operation southwest of Kirkuk.

Channels had already covered September 1 attacks on U.S. sites in Kuwait that press reports attributed to Iran. Early September 3, Shabab al-Islam (Ashab al-Kahf — owned/non-official) reported sirens and nearby explosions. Al-Ahad and Sabereen reported missile-and-drone attacks, while Al-Ghadeer reported a direct hit and rising smoke. None of the channels named a perpetrator or claimed responsibility. Sabereen separately published a line calling Kuwait a “statelet” and reserving a right to respond, though not as an official KH statement, without identifying a grievance or proposed action. Kuwait was the focus of 11 of 33 watched channels across five networks. Al-Ittijah also reported Hoquq questions over Kuwait and Al-Durra, while Sabereen quoted Saud al-Saadi (KH — Hoquq MP) claiming victory in a challenge to the Khawr Abdallah agreement without naming a court, judgment or legal effect.

The weapons debate had already split between state control and resistance to surrender. Sabereen and Unit 10,000 (KH — affiliated) relayed wording attributed to Nouri al-Maliki saying the PMF and factions would remain and would not surrender weapons on September 30. On Al-Ahad, Salam Adel, identified on screen as a writer and journalist, said faction weapons should pass to the PMF, while Zulfiqar Hussein (National Trend — secretary-general) demanded no weapons outside the state. iNEWS promoted al-Kanani’s allegation that weapons monopolization had been requested by the United States and Israel. These were three different public positions: retention, transfer to the PMF and exclusive state possession; none was a formal KH, AAH or KSS leadership statement.

Pressure on PMF chairman Faleh al-Fayyad had already moved from television guests to a Sadiqoun proposal to summon him. On September 2, Al-Ahad guest Mustafa al-Khafaji alleged that al-Zaydi had warned Fayyad of an Saudi strike on the PMF but Fayyad did not order an evacuation. He said the strike caused deaths and injuries and said Fayyad bore moral and legal responsibility for not appearing before parliament; no other source corroborated the warning, strike or casualties. Al-Ahad separately aired a dispute over an allegation that Washington offered then Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani a second term in exchange for confronting factions, but the channel supplied no evidence.

Four channels circulated a Central Bank guardianship order for Al-Taif Islamic Bank, citing serious violations and an 18-month term. The displayed copy appeared dated September 4, 2022, so the posts did not establish a new or current order. Unit 10,000 and Al-Ghadeer relayed a judiciary report of manipulation in the sale of 136 dunams of state land in Anbar. Press reporting said an integrity judge halted the auction while investigators examined the valuation and procedures.