Baghdad, Iraq. Apparent U.S.-Israeli airstrikes hit a headquarters of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces in Anbar province and a residence belonging to its leader in Mosul on Tuesday, according to security sources and a PMF statement. At least 15 PMF fighters were killed and 30 people were wounded, the sources said.
Strikes in Anbar and Mosul
The PMF said U.S. forces targeted a command headquarters in Anbar while personnel were on duty. Security sources said the Anbar strikes hit during a meeting attended by senior commanders.
Two security sources said the residence of PMF leader Falih al-Fayadh was struck in the northern city of Mosul, but he was not present because he uses the residence only during visits to the city.
Casualties and response
At least 15 PMF fighters were killed in the strikes in Anbar, according to the sources and the PMF statement. The dead included the PMF’s operations commander in the province, Saad al-Baiji.
Security and health sources said 30 other people were wounded. Health sources said some were in critical condition and that the death toll could rise. Reuters filmed ambulances bringing the wounded to hospital in the regional capital Ramadi during the night.
Later on Tuesday, a large crowd of mourners carried al-Baiji’s coffin and portraits through the streets of Baghdad, according to the report.
PMF background and wider conflict
The PMF, known in Arabic as Hashd al-Shaabi, is an umbrella group of mostly Shi’ite paramilitary factions that was formally integrated into Iraq’s state security forces and includes several groups aligned with Iran.
Tehran-backed armed groups have launched attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and the U.S. embassy since the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran on February 28, the report said.
The conflict has spilled beyond Iran’s borders, with Tehran launching strikes on Israel and Gulf Arab states hosting U.S. military installations, while Israel has carried out attacks in Lebanon following cross-border fire by Iran-aligned Hezbollah, according to the report.
How do you think the latest strikes in Iraq could affect security conditions in Anbar and Mosul?
