Iraqi Factions Deeply Divided over Targeting American Interests

 27 October 2023, Iraq, Baghdad: Iraqis take part in a Pro-Palestinian rally near Tahrir Square. (dpa)
27 October 2023, Iraq, Baghdad: Iraqis take part in a Pro-Palestinian rally near Tahrir Square. (dpa)
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Iraqi Factions Deeply Divided over Targeting American Interests

 27 October 2023, Iraq, Baghdad: Iraqis take part in a Pro-Palestinian rally near Tahrir Square. (dpa)
27 October 2023, Iraq, Baghdad: Iraqis take part in a Pro-Palestinian rally near Tahrir Square. (dpa)

Observers have raised doubt over the “seriousness” of statements issued by armed Iraqi factions, which claim “Islamic resistance,” over attacks on American interests and bases in the country.

They first questioned whether it was in Iraq’s interest to strain relations with Washington given the good ties Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani enjoys with it. The PM is backed by the pro-Iran Coordination Framework, which includes the majority of the armed Shiite factions.

The observers then noted the “deep divisions” between those factions about dragging Iraq in yet another war given the relative security and stability the country is enjoying.

The factions have so far carried out a number of attacks against American interests and bases in Iraq since Israel declared its war on Gaza earlier in October. The observers doubted, however, that these attacks will continue.

They cited the attack carried out by the “Islamic resistance” in Iraq against an American base in Syria on Saturday, viewing it as perhaps an attempt to turn to targets beyond Iraqi borders given the pressure the factions have come under.

In a brief statement, the faction claimed responsibility for the attack on the al-Tanf base in Syria, saying it was targeted by two drones that carried out direct hits. On Monday, the group also claimed responsibility for three previous attacks in Syria.

Head of the Center for Political Thinking in Iraq, Dr. Ihssan Shmary told Asharq Al-Awsat that the war on Gaza has created deep divisions between the armed factions.

Among the contested issues is whether the government should be the sole authority in handling the war. Some factions have advocated that it should, while others refuse because they believe that it undermines them, especially since the government will support diplomatic solutions to the conflict, which goes against the very foundations of these factions.

The greatest divide, however, emerged over whether to attack American interests, Shmary said.

Some factions, such as the al-Nujaba movement, Kataib Hezbollah and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, have adopted a more extreme position and backed the attacks. While others, such as the Badr Organization and Asaib Ahl al-Haq, believe that the attacks will harm the Iraqi government.

They believe that a clear vision should be adopted or specific steps carried out in advance before a direct attack is carried out against American interests, he explained, stressing that these factions are ultimately a major element of the government.

These divisions have not stopped some factions from carrying out the attacks, which, in the end, will not hide the disputes between the groups, he went on to say.

Political analyst Nizar Haidar made light of the divisions, telling Asharq Al-Awsat that they are not important since all these factions “receive their orders from one source” - Iran.

The truth is that the main leaders of the Coordination Framework have not commented on the statements that have urged an end to the attacks on American interests, he noted.

They have remained silent to avoid further embarrassing the government and Framework or because they are actually secretly encouraging the attacks, he remarked.

Meanwhile, the more pragmatic leaders, such as Ammar al-Hakim and Haidar al-Abadi, have clearly spoken of the need to respect Iraq’s commitments in protecting foreign military forces deployed in the country.



Gazans’ Daily Struggle for Water After Deadly Israeli Strike

 Palestinians wait for donated food at a community kitchen in Gaza City, in the northern Gaza Strip, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP)
Palestinians wait for donated food at a community kitchen in Gaza City, in the northern Gaza Strip, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP)
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Gazans’ Daily Struggle for Water After Deadly Israeli Strike

 Palestinians wait for donated food at a community kitchen in Gaza City, in the northern Gaza Strip, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP)
Palestinians wait for donated food at a community kitchen in Gaza City, in the northern Gaza Strip, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP)

The al-Manasra family rarely get enough water for both drinking and washing after their daily trudge to a Gaza distribution point like the one where eight people were killed on Sunday in a strike that Israel's military said had missed its target.

Living in a tent camp by the ruins of a smashed concrete building in Gaza City, the family say their children are already suffering from diarrhea and skin maladies and from the lack of clean water, and they fear worse to come.

"There's no water, our children have been infected with scabies, there are no hospitals to go to and no medications," said Akram Manasra, 51.

He had set off on Monday for a local water tap with three of his daughters, each of them carrying two heavy plastic containers in Gaza's blazing summer heat, but they only managed to fill two - barely enough for the family of 10.

Gaza's lack of clean water after 21 months of war and four months of Israeli blockade is already having "devastating impacts on public health" the United Nations humanitarian agency OCHA said in a report this month.

For people queuing at a water distribution point on Sunday it was fatal. A missile that Israel said had targeted fighters but malfunctioned hit a queue of people waiting to collect water at the Nuseirat refugee camp.

Israel's blockade of fuel along with the difficulty in accessing wells and desalination plants in zones controlled by the Israeli military is severely constraining water, sanitation and hygiene services according to OCHA.

Fuel shortages have also hit waste and sewage services, risking more contamination of the tiny, crowded territory's dwindling water supply, and diseases causing diarrhea and jaundice are spreading among people crammed into shelters and weakened by hunger.

"If electricity was allowed to desalination plants the problem of a lethal lack of water, which is what's becoming the situation now in Gaza, would be changed within 24 hours," said James Elder, the spokesperson for the UN's children's agency UNICEF.

"What possible reason can there be for denying of a legitimate amount of water that a family needs?" he added.

COGAT, the Israeli military aid coordination agency, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Last week, an Israeli military official said that Israel was allowing sufficient fuel into Gaza but that its distribution around the enclave was not under Israel's purview.

THIRSTY AND DIRTY

For the Manasra family, like others in Gaza, the daily toil of finding water is exhausting and often fruitless.

Inside their tent the family tries to maintain hygiene by sweeping. But there is no water for proper cleaning and sometimes they are unable to wash dishes from their meager meals for several days at a time.

Manasra sat in the tent and showed how one of his young daughters had angry red marks across her back from what he said a doctor had told them was a skin infection caused by the lack of clean water.

They maintain a strict regimen of water use by priority.

After pouring their two containers of water from the distribution point into a broken plastic water butt by their tent, they use it to clean themselves from the tap, using their hands to spoon it over their heads and bodies.

Water that runs off into the basin underneath is then used for dishes and after that - now grey and dirty - for clothes.

"How is this going to be enough for 10 people? For the showering, washing, dish washing, and the washing of the covers. It's been three months; we haven't washed the covers, and the weather is hot," Manasra said.

His wife, Umm Khaled, sat washing clothes in a tiny puddle of water at the bottom of a bucket - all that was left after the more urgent requirements of drinking and cooking.

"My daughter was very sick from the heat rash and the scabies. I went to several doctors for her and they prescribed many medications. Two of my children yesterday, one had diarrhea and vomiting and the other had fever and infections from the dirty water," she said.