Concerns about foreign interference in Iraq have intensified, with political and security figures warning about the activities of foreign security companies operating near oil fields and other strategic facilities. Recent accusations have focused on the United Arab Emirates and alleged links between security operations in Iraq and Israeli intelligence. However, the claims described in the reports have not been independently verified.
Political analyst Ibrahim al-Sarraj said foreign involvement in Iraq had moved beyond normal diplomatic relations and could threaten the country’s national security and independent decision-making.
Speaking to the Information Agency, al-Sarraj accused Gulf, American and Israeli actors of increasing their influence in Iraq. He argued that foreign involvement had weakened the country’s ability to make independent security and political decisions and exposed it to regional and international rivalries. economic
Al-Sarraj said he was particularly concerned about alleged attempts to gain influence in sensitive sectors, including private security and energy. He also warned about online campaigns that he said were intended to influence Iraqi society through digital platforms and coordinated social media accounts.
He called on government institutions and political and security officials to take public action, strengthen oversight and prevent foreign interference in sensitive areas. He said protecting Iraq’s sovereignty required stronger controls over activities that could affect national security.
Report alleges foreign network targeting oil and security sectors
In a related development, a security source told dinaropinions.com that the UAE was allegedly involved in a plan to expand its influence over Iraq’s private security and oil sectors.
The source claimed that UAE National Security Adviser Tahnoon bin Zayed was involved in overseeing funding and managing a cross-border network that recruited foreign personnel for operations allegedly linked to Israeli intelligence. These allegations have not been independently confirmed.
According to the source, hundreds of millions of dollars had been directed toward training and arming programs at facilities in Libya. The source identified two alleged locations: Camp 17 near Benghazi in eastern Libya and a facility referred to as Al-Suwaidiya Camp in the Al-Kufra region near the Sudanese border.
The source claimed that the program recruited former military personnel and retired officers from several countries, including the United States, Britain, South Africa and Colombia. They were allegedly trained to work under civilian titles such as logistics advisers and risk-management specialists.
The report further alleged that Dubai-registered security companies with operations in Iraq were being used to deploy these personnel under protection and subcontracting agreements.
The source claimed that foreign personnel had been placed at strategic oil facilities in Basra and Baghdad under contracts to protect foreign companies. It also alleged that advanced surveillance cameras, cyber-monitoring equipment and radar-tracking systems had been brought into parts of southern Iraq and the Middle Euphrates region.
According to the source, the equipment could collect information about locations, heat signatures and the movements of drones and missiles. The source alleged that the data was being transmitted to a joint operations room linked to Israel’s Military Intelligence Directorate, known as AMAN, and claimed that a secret headquarters had been established in Duhok governorate.
The report did not provide independently verified evidence establishing these alleged deployments, the intelligence links or the existence of the claimed headquarters.
Kataib Hezbollah calls for government action
The allegations come amid earlier accusations by Abu Mujahid al-Assaf, a security official for Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq, who accused the UAE of interfering in Iraq’s internal affairs.
Al-Assaf pointed to what he described as security breaches and suspicious activities involving private security companies known to Iraqi authorities. He called on the government to publicly reject foreign interference and take action to protect national sovereignty.
The statements have renewed calls for closer scrutiny of foreign security companies working in Iraq, particularly those holding contracts at oil fields and other strategic locations.
Such oversight could include reviewing company ownership, contracts, personnel, equipment and access to sensitive infrastructure to establish whether their activities comply with Iraqi law and national security requirements.
Concerns grow over security at strategic facilities
Iraq’s oil fields and energy infrastructure are important to its economy, making the security of these facilities a significant national concern. Foreign companies provide services across several sectors, including energy and site protection, but the nature and scope of their activities remain central to the current debate.
The latest accusations have prompted calls for practical measures to protect strategic installations, improve monitoring of private security contractors and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information.
For now, the claims about an alleged UAE-led network and its supposed links to Israeli intelligence remain allegations attributed to the sources cited in the reports. Independent verification and any official findings from Iraqi authorities would be needed to establish whether the alleged activities occurred.
The issue has nevertheless brought renewed attention to the balance between foreign investment and security cooperation on one hand, and Iraq’s control over its strategic facilities and national decision-making on the other.
