Security Forces storm house of prominent Iraqi activist
Shafaq News/ Security forces raided the home of prominent Iraqi activist Ihsan al-Hilali, known as Ihsan Abu Kothar, in the early hours of Friday.
A security source told Shafaq News that the operation, which took place in the southern province of Dhi Qar, was carried out in a “violent manner”, with the forces using smoke grenades inside the house and firing shots into the air.
The raid resulted in the arrest of Abu Kawthar’s father under unclear circumstances. The source added that the activist has been detained for some time.
Abu Kawthar, one of the leading figures of the 2019 protests in Al-Nasiriyah, had previously been arrested on March 8 2025 after being accused by a local resident. The arrest warrant, issued by authorities, followed complaints against him, and he had been wanted on multiple arrest warrants, exceeding five in total.
In response to the incident, Dhi Qar Parliament member Dawood al-Aidan voiced concerns about the actions of security forces. He held the Prime Minister of Iraq responsible for the events in the province, stating, "The families of Al-Nasiriyah have been terrorized by gunfire and smoke grenades during the raid on the home of activist Abu Kawthar, even though he has been detained for weeks."
Meanwhile, another member of the Iraqi Parliament, Ghazwan al-Ghazzi, criticized the actions of the Dhi Qar police chief. In a statement, he emphasized the necessity of maintaining security in the region while questioning the rationale behind the repeated raids. "We do not know where these actions are leading," he said. "The police chief continues to send forces to storm Abu Kawthar’s house daily, which causes fear and panic among the local residents."
Al-Ghazzi also suggested that the police chief's actions could be aimed at escalating the security situation in the province, a sentiment echoed by several local officials. He called on the Prime Minister, the head of the Iraqi Judiciary, and other key government figures to intervene and end the individual actions that could further destabilize the region.
