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Series of Attacks Target Int’l Coalition Convoys in Iraq

A convoy of US vehicles is seen after withdrawing from northern Syria at the Iraqi-Syrian border crossing in the outskirts of Dohuk, Iraq, on October 21, 2019. REUTERS/Ari Jalal
A convoy of US vehicles is seen after withdrawing from northern Syria at the Iraqi-Syrian border crossing in the outskirts of Dohuk, Iraq, on October 21, 2019. REUTERS/Ari Jalal
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Series of Attacks Target Int’l Coalition Convoys in Iraq

A convoy of US vehicles is seen after withdrawing from northern Syria at the Iraqi-Syrian border crossing in the outskirts of Dohuk, Iraq, on October 21, 2019. REUTERS/Ari Jalal
A convoy of US vehicles is seen after withdrawing from northern Syria at the Iraqi-Syrian border crossing in the outskirts of Dohuk, Iraq, on October 21, 2019. REUTERS/Ari Jalal

International Coalition logistics lines in Iraq have come under attack on Tuesday despite local security authorities having announced securing the convoys that were moving to reach new positions in the country’s north and west.

Assaults targeting the US-led international coalition forces have been occurring progressively, with attacks sometimes taking place daily.

Staged by Iran-aligned factions, the attacks have caused minor damage but managed to embarrass Baghdad, which appeared helpless in the face of uncontrolled militias targeting ally forces fighting ISIS in the country.

While Iraqi authorities say that the columns of supplies are intended for Iraqi forces, not the coalition, anti-coalition militias insist that they are meant for US forces and their partners.

The militias have been demanding the expulsion of US forces from Iraq.

Baghdad’s Security Media Cell (SMC) announced on Tuesday the targeting of a convoy transporting equipment to the Iraqi forces in Samawah, 280 km southeast of the capital.

“A convoy that was transporting equipment for the Iraqi security forces through Iraqi local transport companies was targeted by an IED in the Mesaieed area of the Najmi district between Samawah and Diwaniyah provinces,” an SMC statement revealed.

According to the statement, the attack damaged one of the convoy’s wheels but did not stop it from moving towards its intended destination.

Even though the statement reported a single attack, other news outlets affiliated with Iran-aligned groups and some security sources mentioned four similar attacks taking place on Tuesday in the governorates of Babylon, Dhi Qar, Al-Qadisiyyah, and Al Muthanna.

Last Saturday, the Sumer Operations Command announced placing a new security plan in motion to ensure the safety of external routes in south Iraq governorates. This was intended to ensure the security of logistics convoys belonging to the coalition.

Security commands had previously announced more than one plan for this purpose, the last of which was in mid-June, but they failed in stopping the attacks.

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Geagea to Asharq Al-Awsat: We Reject the Return of Hezbollah’s Mini-state

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. Photo: LF
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. Photo: LF
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Geagea to Asharq Al-Awsat: We Reject the Return of Hezbollah’s Mini-state

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. Photo: LF
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. Photo: LF

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has warned against turning a blind eye to the dangers of the Iranian-Israeli war taking place on Lebanese territories, calling for a historic stance on strengthening the Lebanese state.

“The state’s absence in favor of the Hezbollah mini-state, which was sucking the capabilities of the state, is no longer acceptable,” Geagea told Asharq Al-Awsat. “We’ve seen where Hezbollah’s decisions on war and peace have taken us.”

That mini-state took Lebanon to war and left it “in rough seas without a captain to steer it,” he said.

On the Lebanese government, he said: “Rather than making every possible effort to move Lebanon out of this war .... Lebanese officials are acting out of narrow interests and have turned into a relief committee.”

“To sum it up, there is neither a government nor a state, rather there is a relief committee,” he said.

According to Geagea, following the assassination of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs on September 27, Lebanon’s “decision-making has fallen into the hands of Iran and what’s left of Hezbollah fighters, led by Iranian officers.”

Iran is leading the war, according to its own interests, he said.

Geagea also lashed out at Lebanese officials for not acting to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701. “I had in vain warned them” that the situation would get worse, he said.

Yet the LF chief insisted that the state is still capable of acting to end the war. “The government should meet and announce that it rejects the current situation and decide to deploy the army (in the south) and implement Resolution 1701.”

“I am not saying that the government should ask the army to clash with (Hezbollah), but it should start from somewhere,” Geagea told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The LF chief responded to his critics who slammed him for calling for the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1559 that states the need to disband and disarm all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias. He said: “This is my suggestion to end the war, but they didn’t like it. Let them make their own proposal.”

“So far, we haven’t seen any international envoy in Lebanon to discuss ways to end the war. We had to move to make an attempt to end this destructive war” by suggesting to implement Resolution 1559, he said.

Geagea also said that he had no fears over civil peace because “no side has an interest in” causing civil strife. “This, however, doesn’t stop certain problems from appearing, particularly that around half of the Lebanese population is in a certain form of displacement.”