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Iraq Monitorعين على العراقPrimary-source intelligence · updated 14:43 Baghdad
Militia violence03 Aug, 20:13 BAGHDAD

Assessed: Al-Hamidawi refuses disarmament, pledges bigger arsenal, press reports say

Assessed: Press reports attribute to Kataib Hezbollah secretary-general Ahmad al-Hamidawi a refusal to dismantle the resistance's weapons and a pledge to "develop it and enlarge its arsenal"

WHAT HAPPENED

Three press reports published between 16:38 and 17:13 on 3 August carried substantially identical remarks attributed to Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq or its secretary-general, refusing to give up the resistance's weapon and committing to develop it and enlarge the arsenal; Shafaq News specifically names al-Hamidawi and uses the word "dismantling". The wording is near-identical across all three, which is consistent with syndication of one original statement or interview rather than three independent lines of reporting. No Kataib Hezbollah channel in the collected material carried the remarks, and the supplied items do not give the venue, the full text, or what prompted it — which is why this sits at preponderance rather than higher.

WHO CARRIED IT
  1. Lebanon Debate03 Aug, 19:38

    The secretary-general of Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq: We hold to the weapon of the resistance and will not give it up, and we will work to develop it and enlarge its arsenal

    الأمين العام لكتائب حزب الله في العراق: نتمسك بسلاح المقاومة ولن نفرط به وسنعمل على تطويره وتعظيم ترسانته

  2. فيتو (Veto)03 Aug, 20:13

    Iraqi Hezbollah: We hold to the weapon of the resistance and will not give it up, and we will work to develop it and enlarge its arsenal

    حزب الله العراقي: نتمسك بسلاح المقاومة ولن نفرط به وسنعمل على تطويره وتعظيم ترسانته

  3. Shafaq News03 Aug, 20:13

    Al-Hamidawi rejects dismantling the "resistance" weapon: We will develop it and enlarge its arsenal

    الحميداوي يرفض تفكيك سلاح "المقاومة": سنطوره ونعظم ترسانته

Their words, in the order they posted. Translation by the desk; published as evidence, not endorsement.
WATCH

Watch: publication of the full statement on an owned Kataib Hezbollah channel, or a formal Kataib Hezbollah denial or correction of the quote; an Iraqi government or PMF response naming al-Hamidawi; any second faction adopting the "develop and enlarge the arsenal" formulation within 72 hours. Any of these moves this file.

EVIDENCE · INTERCEPTED CHANNEL MESSAGE
View the original message (Arabic)الحميداوي يرفض تفكيك سلاح "المقاومة": سنطوره ونعظم ترسانته شفق نيوز
Published as evidence, not endorsement