National Security Service foils clandestine drone manufacturing cell in Baghdad

The logo of the Iraqi National Security Service (INSS) Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) — Iraq’s National Security Service (NSS) announced on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, the successful disruption of a clandestine operation attempting to manufacture unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) inside the capital city of Baghdad. Executed under the direct supervision of the Judge of the Third Investigative Court, the intelligence-led raid resulted in the arrest of three primary suspects and the seizure of a makeshift production facility. In an official statement and accompanied by video documentation of the tactical operation, the NSS confirmed that its specialized intelligence units executed judicial arrest and search warrants following precise surveillance. The security sweep uncovered an active workshop equipped with 25 prefabricated drone airframes, along with specialized carbon fiber sheets, custom molds, and technical assembly tools utilized in the production and fabrication of long-range drones. Seizure Inventory & Intelligence Breakdown Arrests: 3 primary suspects apprehended under judicial warrants issued by the Third Investigative Court. Drone Airframes: 25 completed and semi-completed UAV structural fuselages. Manufacturing Materials: Industrial-grade carbon fiber panels, custom molds, and precision technical tooling. Status: Disrupted prior to final assembly and operational deployment. Ongoing Probe: Investigations are actively expanding to determine potential linkages between the illicit workshop, regional factional networks, or broader national security threats. The NSS emphasized that the covert operation was completely dismantled before the manufactured drones could reach operational completion or be integrated into regional flight networks. Legal proceedings have been initiated, and the suspects remain in federal custody as investigators work to identify supply chains and potential organizational ties before referring the perpetrators to the judiciary.