BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s prime minister approved sweeping disciplinary and legal measures against senior commanders in a paramilitary force after clashes with police at a government facility that left three people dead last month, his office said Saturday.
Gunmen descended on the agricultural directorate in Baghdad's Karkh district on July 27 and clashed with federal police. The raid came after the former head of the directorate was ousted and a new one appointed.
A government-commissioned investigation found that the former director — who was implicated in corruption cases — had called in members of the Kataib Hezbollah militia to stage the attack, Sabah Al-Numan, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, said in a statement Saturday.
Al-Sudani, who also serves as commander in chief of the armed forces, ordered the formation of a committee to investigate the attack.
Kataib Hezbollah is part of the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of mostly Shiite, Iran-backed militias that formed to fight the Islamic State extremist group as it rampaged across the country more than a decade ago.
The PMF was formally placed under the control of the Iraqi military in 2016, but in practice it still operates with significant autonomy. Some groups within the coalition have periodically launched drone attacks on bases housing U.S. troops in Syria.
The Kataib Hezbollah fighters who staged the attack in Karkh were affiliated with the 45th and 46th Brigades of the PMF, the government statement said.
Al-Sudani approved recommendations to remove the commanders of those two brigades, refer all those involved in the raid to the judiciary, and open an investigation into “negligence in leadership and control duties” in the PMF command, it said.
The report also cited structural failings within the PMF, noting the presence of formations that act outside the chain of command.
The relationship between the Iraqi state and the PMF has been a point of tension with the United States as Iraq attempts to balance its relations with Washington and Tehran.
The Iraqi parliament is discussing legislation that would solidify the relationship between the military and the PMF, drawing objections from Washington, which considers some of the armed groups in the coalition, including Kataib Hezbollah, to be terrorist organizations.
In an interview with The Associated Press last month, Al-Sudani defended the proposed legislation, saying it’s part of an effort to ensure that arms are controlled by the state. “Security agencies must operate under laws and be subject to them and be held accountable,” he said.
Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Baghdad on Monday, July 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
NEW YORK (AP) — Ethan Grunkemeyer threw for a career-high 262 yards and two TDs, including a 73-yard strike to Trebor Pena early in the fourth quarter, and Penn State beat Clemson 22-10 Saturday afternoon in the Pinstripe Bowl.
Both teams struggled at times with the frigid conditions at Yankee Stadium following a snowstorm. The temperature at kickoff was 28 degrees and the wind chill made it feel like 19 while the snow from Friday’s storm was piled in the right and left field corners.
In his seventh start since Penn State lost Drew Allar to an injury, Grunkemeyer completed 23 of 34 passes, setting career bests for completions and attempts.
“Every game he got better,” Penn State interim coach Terry Smith said about Grunkemeyer. “This was his best game.”
His best throw was to Pena, who caught the ball at the Penn State 44, ran by Clemson safety Ricardo Jones and rumbled untouched down the left side for a 15-3 lead with 12:51 left in the fourth.
“It was man (coverage) and I know he had a seam and we hit it previously in the Rutgers game, the same play,” Grunkemeyer said. “When I saw him kind of break in front of that defender, I knew I had to put it right on him. He ran a great route.”
Grunkemeyer also made a 35-yard throw to Devonte Ross to get the Nittany Lions deep into Clemson territory that set up an 11-yard TD toss to Andrew Rappleyea with 4:56 left for a 22-10
Pena finished with five catches and 100 yards. Pena had the third 100-yard game of his career and was named the game’s MVP.
Before connecting with Pena, Grunkemeyer moved the Nittany Lions into field goal territory three times for Ryan Barker. Barker made a 22-yard field goal on Penn State’s first possession, along with a 48-yard field goal and a 43-yarder.
Penn State (7-6) won its final four games under Smith, who took over for James Franklin following a 22-21 loss to Northwestern on Oct. 11 and will be succeeded by Matt Campbell.
Clemson’s Cade Klubnik completed 22 of 39 passes for 193 yards in his final collegiate game while getting sacked four times. He also had eight passes broken up by Penn State defenders.
“Just too many missed opportunities and it’s hard to win those games,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said.
The Tigers scored their lone touchdown on Adam Randall’s 2-yard plunge with 8:47 left to slice Penn State’s lead to 15-10.
Clemson (7-6) saw a four-game winning streak stopped and was held to its fewest points in a bowl game since a 10-7 loss to LSU in the 1999 Peach Bowl.
Penn State: Top running back Kaytron Allen did not play because of injury after being questionable and Quentin Martin was the best of the remaining rushers. Martin entered the game with 32 career rushing yards and finished with 101 yards on 20 carries.
Clemson: The Tigers struggled to get any traction with their ground game and were held to 43 yards. It was their second-lowest total of the season behind a 31-yard showing in their season-opening loss to LSU.
Penn State: Open the Matt Campbell era next season at home against Marshall.
Clemson: Open the 2026 season at LSU with a new quarterback after the departure of Klubnik.
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
Penn State defensive end Jaylen Harvey (44) sacks Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) during the first half of the Pinstripe Bowl NCAA college football game at Yankee Stadium Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) passes the ball during the first half of the Pinstripe Bowl NCAA college football game against Penn State at Yankee Stadium Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
