At least 25 iraqi fighters were killed on Sunday night in the border syrian-iraqi shelling of retaliation in the american Army against a faction proiraní it accuses of violating repeatedly against u.s. interests in Iraq. The attack has provoked this Monday, a wave of indignation in the arab country, and left in the background the spontaneous rebellion against the political class and their major mentor, Iran, and revived also the sentiment against the american presence.
in view of the many attacks against their interests in Iraq —not claimed but that for Washington, are the work of factions proiraníes—, the united States had promised recently a firm response. The trigger was the murder of a contractor of the us, last week.
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Iran considers these attacks show “support for terror” Washington because of the Brigades of Hezbollah —the faction that was the target of the attack Sunday night— are part of Hashd Al-Shaabi, or Forces of Popular Mobilization (FMP), a coalition of militias —many of them supported by Iran, which was formed to fight against the Islamic State (ISIS, its acronym in English) and that is now integrated into the iraqi security forces.
A high-ranking officer of the FMP has warned on Monday that the group will give a “harsh response” to the american bombing. In a press release picked up by the chain of iraqi television to The Summary, the number two of the group, Jamal Yaafar Ibrahimi, known as Abu Mahdi al Muhandis, has argued that “the blood of the martyrs and wounded will not be shed in vain”.
Abu Mahdi al Muhandis is an important ally of Tehran in Iraq, and the former leader of the Brigades of Hezbollah, a group that he founded in 2003 in response to the invasion of american troops.
The Government which has resigned iraqi, met at a security council emergency, said Monday that he is forced to “review their relations” with the US. “American forces have acted on the basis of their political priorities and not those of the iraqis”, he has denounced through a press release. Such attacks “violate the sovereignty of Iraq” and “contravene the rules of combat of the international coalition present in Iraq under mandate us to fight against the jihadists.
The main shi’a cleric in Iraq, ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, has emphasized that “it is necessary to respect iraqi sovereignty and not raping her under the pretext of responding to the unlawful practices of some parts of [the militias]”, before adding that “only the iraqi authorities can do against these practices and take steps to avoid them”. The ayatollah called on the Government to prevent the country from becoming in the scenario filed from a conflict between regional powers and international.
The attacks on americans, near Al-Qaim, a town in iraqi border with Syria, where the Brigades of Hezbollah are fighting with the regime of Bashar al-Assad, have led to “25 people dead and 51 wounded (between combatants and commanders), and the balance could increase”, they have indicated this Monday, the Forces of Popular Mobilization.
The u.s. bombing focused on bases and depots of weapons of the Brigades on the border between Iraq and Syria, according to the spokesman for the Pentagon, Jonathan Hoffman. The secretary of Defense of the united States, Mark Esper, called the attacks successful and did not rule out new shares.
The us secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, noted that Washington “will not accept that the Islamic Republic of Iran to perform actions that endanger american men and women”.
Moscow warns of the risk of a “destabilization abrupt” of the region
The Ministry of Foreign affairs Russian has said this Monday that the U.s. air strikes in Iraq and the border with Syria are unacceptable and counterproductive, and has urged all parties to avoid fueling tensions in the region.
through a statement, the Ministry “has taken into consideration the attacks between the [Brigades of] Hezbollah and the U.S. in Iraq and in Syria unacceptable and counterproductive”. In addition, Moscow has called on “all parties to refrain from adopting other measures that could destabilize the sudden military situation and policy in Iraq, in Syria and in neighbouring countries”.
The declarations of Moscow will occur while the head of Russian diplomacy, Sergey Lavrov, received on Monday to his counterpart iranian Mohammad Javad Zarif.
Another faction proiraní, ‘ asa’ib Ahl Al Haq, one of the armed groups more powerful of Iraq and the people responsible have recently been object of sanctions by Washington, affirmed that “the u.s. military presence has become a burden for the iraqi State and, above all, a source of threats.” “Now it is imperative to do whatever it takes to expel them by all legitimate means,” he said in a statement the group.
The number two of the Parliament, the movement’s leader, shiite Muqtada al-Sadr, called on the State to “take necessary measures” against the attacks, like the powerful Badr organization, another armed group proiraní.
Several deputies were also asked to report the agreement irako-american that authorizes the presence of Washington’s troops in Iraq. Many iraqi politicians considered a “threat” in the presence of 5,200 u.s. soldiers in its territory.
From the 28th of October there have been eleven attacks on military bases iraqis welcoming troops or american diplomats. Some reached the vicinity of the U.s. Embassy in Baghdad. An iraqi military died and several were injured in the first ten attacks. In the eleventh, Friday, passed the u.s. contractor.
The attacks against american interests or bases proiraníes rekindle the fear that the united States and Iran to turn Iraq into a battlefield. In the past Iran has strengthened its influence in Iraq to the detriment of Washington, coinciding with a revolt without precedent against the power. After the resignation of the iraqi Government almost a month ago, Iran and their allies in Iraq are trying to impose to one of his men as prime minister.
The frustration of the population fed from October in a wave of protests and riots that has claimed the lives of at least 460 people, plus 25,000 wounded. The protesters are critical of the authorities in Iran, and have paralyzed the government and schools in nearly all citiedes the south of the country.
From the Saturday got even interrupting for the first time in three months, the activity of the oil field in Nasiriya, in the south, which produces up 82,000 barrels a day of crude oil. Operations have been resumed this Monday.
