An Iraqi security source reported, on Tuesday, the killing of a leader in "Saraya al-Salam", the military wing of the Sadrist movement, in an armed attack launched by unknown persons in the capital, Baghdad.

The source, a Baghdad police officer, said that "unidentified gunmen fired pistols at the leader of Saraya al-Salam, Nasir Abu Rada' al-Muhammadawi, in the Al-Risala neighborhood, southwest of Baghdad," Middle East Online (MEO) reported.

No party has claimed responsibility for the incident, nor has there been any comment from the security authorities or the Sadrist movement regarding it.

Saraya al-Salam is the armed wing of the Sadrist movement led by Muqtada al-Sadr, and it is one of the factions of the "Popular Mobilization" that is officially affiliated with the Iraqi armed forces.

The incident comes amid warnings of a possible escalation of violence with the approach of the early parliamentary elections scheduled for October 10.

This is not the first time that leaders of the Sadrist movement have been subjected to assassinations, amid speculation that some armed groups loyal to Iran were involved in the attacks that targeted activists in the protests.

Iraq witnessed an escalation in attacks targeting US bases and interests, which prompted Washington to strike at the armed factions belong to PMF, whether on the Iraqi-Syrian border or inside Syria.