The strike, which claimed four lives among the People’s Mobilization Forces (PMF), is attributed to the command of these units by the US military. The incident occurred at a time when pro-Iranian factions are stepping up drone attacks on US bases in the region.
An attack on the positions of former Shia paramilitary groups linked to Iran, but currently integrated into the Iraqi army, claimed four lives on Tuesday night. The attack took place in northern Iraq and the command of the paramilitary Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) blamed the United States for its commission. This was reported by the AFP agency, writes TASR.
- A night attack on PMF positions in Iraq killed four fighters.
- The commanders of the People’s Mobilization Forces blamed the air attack on the armed forces of the United States.
- The attack hit PMF positions in the Dibs area of Kirkuk province.
- Pro-Iranian Iraqi factions are repeatedly targeted by airstrikes for attacks on Americans.
- In 2020, the Americans killed General Kasem Soleimani during an attack near Baghdad.
The PMF – a coalition of former Shiite paramilitary groups linked to Iran – said the attack hit its positions in the Dibs area of Kirkuk province, south of the city of Arbil in autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan. The “American aggression” left four fighters dead, according to the statement.
Raids on pro-Iranian factions
Pro-Iranian armed factions in Iraq have been regularly targeted by airstrikes in recent days. Some of these formations have claimed responsibility for drone attacks against US troops in the Middle East.
Hashd al-Shaabi is a coalition of predominantly Shiite armed groups in Iraq, many of which have close ties to Iran. It was created in 2014 when Iraq tried to stop the progress of the jihadist organization Islamic State (IS). The Iraqi parliament formally incorporated these units into the state security forces in 2016, but many factions have retained their own command and political ties. Some of the most influential factions – such as Kataib Hezbollah, Asaib Ahl al-Hakk (AAH) or the Badr organization – have close ties to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Iran has long supported them financially, with training and weapons.
Mutual attacks
After the defeat of IS, a part of these militias focused on putting pressure on American troops, which act as military advisers in Iraq and within the coalition against IS.
Pro-Iranian groups are repeatedly blamed for missile and drone attacks on US bases in Iraq and Syria. The US responds to these attacks with aerial or drone attacks on positions of militias that Washington considers responsible for attacks on US forces.
The most famous such incident was the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani and Kataib Hezbollah militia commander Abu Mahdi Muhandis in a US strike near Baghdad airport in 2020.
