[89243] Personnel changes at the security level: Basem al-Badri appointed as head of the National Security Service in Iraq
[89243] Personnel changes at the security level: Basem al-Badri appointed as head of the National Security Service in Iraq
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces in Iraq, Ali al-Zidi, has ordered the appointment of Basem al-Badri to the position of head of the National Security Service, replacing Abd al-Karim al-Basri.
Changes in the Iraqi security leadership
On June 18, 2026, numerous Iraqi media outlets reported on the decision of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Ali al-Zidi, to appoint Basem al-Badri to the position of head of the جهاز الأمن الوطني (National Security Service), replacing Abd al-Karim al-Basri, who has concluded his tenure.
The news was first published by prominent local networks, including واحد العراق, which reported dramatically on the appointment under the headline "Ajel" (Urgent), noting that it was a direct decision by the highest authority as noted in واحد العراق.
More established state and institutional media outlets also joined in the reporting, including جريدة الصباح العراقية and وكالة الأنباء العراقية (واع), which confirmed the change in command according to the agency's report. The appointment process was also covered extensively by pan-Arab networks, with קناة الميادين | عاجל highlighting the appointment through its correspondents on the ground in Baghdad, who emphasized the importance of the change in the organizational structure of the security forces according to the Al-Mayadeen channel.
At the same time, news agencies such as وكالة بغداد اليوم الاخبارية and رووداو عربية provided technical coverage of the change, using official terminology and referencing the authority of the "Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces." Al-Fallujah Channel even referred to the appointment as an action by the "Prime Minister," thereby sharpening public perception regarding direct political control over the country's security mechanisms.