Calls are growing in Iraq for the withdrawal of the international anti-ISIS coalition and US forces deployed in the country following the US killing on Thursday of a militia leader Washington blames for attacks on American troops.
The US strike in Baghdad targeted Mushtaq Taleb al-Saidi, the Pentagon said, adding he was a leader of Harakat al-Nujaba who was involved in planning and carrying out attacks against American personnel in Iraq and Syria.
The Popular Mobilization Force, or PMF, a coalition of militias that is nominally under the control of the Iraqi military, announced in a statement that its deputy head of operations in Baghdad, identified as Abu Taqwa, had been killed "as a result of brutal American aggression."
"The strike also killed one other Harakat al-Nujaba member," said Major General Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesperson, describing it as a self-defense strike. "No civilians were harmed. No infrastructure or facilities were struck."
Since the Israel-Hamas war began in October the US military has come under attack at least 100 times in Iraq and Syria, usually with a mix of rockets and one-way attack drones.
The United States has 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in neighboring Syria focused on preventing a resurgence of ISIS militants.
Iraqi police sources and witnesses had earlier said a drone fired at least two rockets at the headquarters in eastern Baghdad of the al-Nujaba militia group.
Police and militia sources said the rockets hit a vehicle in the compound and killed four people, including a militia commander and one of his aides. Health sources confirmed the death toll.
Informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that a drone fired four missiles at the al-Nujaba headquarters in Baghdad.
Basing its information from the PMF, they confirmed that the attack killed Mushtaq Taleb al-Saidi, also known as Abou Taqwa, and his aide and wounded seven others.
Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that armed members of the al-Nujaba arrested a pedestrian in the area on suspicion of having provided the coordinates for the attack.
The al-Nujaba lost one of its most important members, who was in charge of building rockets and armed drones, they revealed.
A local commander of the al-Nujaba vowed revenge.
In a statement, the military spokesperson for Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani denounced the strike on the group, calling it an "unjustified attack on an Iraqi security entity" that was operating with Sudani's authorization.
Official spokesman of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Yahya Rasool said the attack was "no different than terrorist attacks," holding the international coalition responsible for it.
Asked whether the US military struck a member of Iraq's security forces, Ryder said the individual targeted was a leader of an Iranian proxy group responsible for attacks against US personnel.
Iraqi militia commanders vowed to take revenge for Thursday's strike.
The Iraqi Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the "flagrant attack that targeted an Iraqi security headquarter."
In a statement, it said the target is affiliated with the armed forces command and is subject to state authority, making the attack a "dangerous escalation."
"Iraq reserves the right to take a decisive position and all measures to deter whoever tries to harm it and its security forces," it added.
The Sadiqoun bloc, of the Asaib Ahl al-Haq movement, demanded that parliament hold an emergency meeting to discuss the fallout of American assaults on PMF headquarters.
Member of the bloc MP Hassan Salem demanded the implementation of the parliament’s decision for the withdrawal of American forces from Iraq.
Head of the Asaib Ahl al-Haq Kais al-Khazali echoed the demand, saying the government must urge the "immediate" withdrawal of the forces.
"Amid the repeated Amercian assaults, the condemnation of the attacks is no longer useful," he remarked.
Leader of the Hikma movement Ammar al-Hakim condemned the "assault" against Iraq’s sovereignty.
Head of the Badr Organization, of the pro-Iran Coordination Framework, Hadi al-Ameri warned that the "American presence is a threat to the security of Iraq and the safety of its people."
The Hoquq bloc, also of the Coordination Framework, wondered what measures the government will take against the American forces and why the Foreign Ministry has yet to summon the US ambassador in protest.
It also asked why the government has yet to implement the parliament decision on the withdrawal of foreign troops.
Last week, PM Sudani — who came to power with the backing of Iran-linked political factions but has also attempted to maintain good relations with the US — said that his government is "is proceeding to end the presence of the international coalition forces."
The US strike took place shortly after the anniversary of the US killing of Iran’s Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani and PMF deputy leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis near Baghdad airport in 2020.
A leading member of the Coordination Framework told Asharq Al-Awsat that the attack will help unite Shiites in Iraq following months of divisions and disputes.
The primary mission of the US-led coalition is to fight ISIS, the extremist group that continues to carry out periodic attacks in Iraq despite having lost its hold on the territory it once controlled in 2017. Since then, the coalition has transitioned from a combat role to an advisory and training mission.
