Jan 4, 2024. Posted by Balkan Periscope - Hellas
Iraqi officials on Thursday accused the U.S. of escalating tensions in Iraq
after a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad killed the militia leader of an
Iranian-backed group.
Iraq’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a “strong condemnation” of what it called a “blatant attack” on an Iraqi military headquarters.
“The attack on a security formation linked to the commander-in-chief of the
armed forces and subject to the authority of the state is a dangerous
escalation,” the statement reads, “and we
affirm that Iraq reserves its right to take a firm stance and all measures that
deter anyone who tries to harm its territory and its security forces.”
The U.S. airstrike targeted the leader of Iranian-backed militia group
Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba (HHN).
The strike hit near a security headquarters in the capital of Baghdad,
according to Iraqi officials.
U.S. officials said the strike hit a vehicle in Baghdad, according to media
reports.
Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of militia groups, said the
strike killed HHN leader Mushtaq Taleb al-Saidi, along with at least one other
Iraqi official. Five others were wounded.
Yahya Rasoul, the commander in chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, also
condemned the attacks in a statement on Telegram.
“We consider this targeting a dangerous escalation and assault on Iraq, far
from the spirit and letter of the mandate and the work for which the
international coalition was created in Iraq,” Rasoul said.
The Pentagon said in a statement to The Hill that American forces are
working to protect troops and assets in the Middle East but did not confirm the
strike.
“The United States is continuing to take action to protect our forces in
Iraq and Syria by addressing the threats they face,” an official said.
The U.S. has been attacked more than 100 times in Iraq and Syria from
Iranian-backed groups since late October, shortly after the Israel-Hamas war
broke out.
The Iranian-backed Houthis have also attacked commercial ships and U.S.
boats in the Red Sea 23 times since November.
The Middle East has been tense this week after an Israeli strike killed a
senior Hamas official in Lebanon and a deadly bombing in Iran killed dozens of
people, though it’s not clear who was behind the Iran attack.
The Iraqi government is aligned with Iranian-backed militia groups in the
country, including the HHN.
The Hill
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