Iraq’s capital, Baghdad, has been rocked by a series of explosions close to the United States embassy in the city’s heavily fortified Green Zone as the rapidly escalating US-Israeli war on Iran continued to spill over the border.
Al Jazeera’s Assed Baig has the latest from the Iraqi capital.
By this act, the American forces jeopardize civil peace, violate Iraqi sovereignty, and disregard the safety and lives of our citizens. Even more concerning is that the coalition consistently deviates from the reasons and objectives for its presence on our territory.
This trajectory compels the Iraqi government more than ever to terminate the mission of this coalition, which has become a factor for instability and threatens to entangle Iraq in the cycle of conflict, and our armed forces cannot neglect their constitutional duties and responsibilities, which demand safeguarding the security of Iraqis and the land of Iraq from all threats.
God‘s mercy and honor to the martyrs of this attack and to all martyrs of Iraq.
Major General Special Forces
Yehia Rasool
The Spokesperson for the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces
U.S. military officials said Wednesday’s strike was carried out about 9:30 p.m. “in response to the attacks on U.S. service members” and resulted in the death of a militia commander “responsible for directly planning and participating” in those attacks. The statement, which does not identify the individual who was killed, said there were no initial indications of civilian casualties.
Nach Angaben des Sprechers der irakischen Streitkräfte, Jahja Rasul, ereignete sich der Angriff in einer Wohngegend. Der US-Angriff habe stattgefunden „ohne Rücksicht auf das Leben von Zivilisten oder internationales Recht“. Es bereite noch mehr Sorge, dass die Koalition ständig von den eigentlichen „Gründen und Zielen ihrer Präsenz“ im Irak abweiche.
Rasul bezeichnete die Präsenz der US-geführten Koalition als „Faktor für Instabilität“: „Dieser Kurs zwingt die irakische Regierung mehr als jemals zuvor, den Einsatz dieser Koalition zu beenden.“
Macron is also expected to meet Nechirvan Barzani, president of the semi-autonomous northern Kurdish region.
Hatamai underlined the need for defense cooperation between Baghdad and Tehran to restore security and stability in the region.
Two leading Senate Democrats are calling on President Donald Trump to declassify the formal notification given to Congress regarding the US drone strike that killed Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani.
It‘s not publicly known what exactly is in the formal notification, though such messages to Congress typically explain legal justification for military action.
In an extraordinary session, the lawmakers voted with majority in favor of passing a law requiring the government to cancel the request for assistance from the international coalition to fight Islamic State (IS) group due to the end of military operations and war in Iraq.
NATO ambassadors will gather on Monday in Brussels for an urgent meeting convened by the head of the military alliance to discuss the situation in the Middle East after a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad killed a top Iranian general, a NATO official said.
Parliamentary resolutions are nonbinding to the government, but Abdul-Mahdi had earlier urged parliament to take urgent measures and end the presence of foreign troops as soon as possible.
The Iraqi army told Reuters that airstrikes targeting Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces – an umbrella grouping of Iran-backed Shia militias – struck near Taji, north of Baghdad, killing six people and critically wounded three, an Iraqi army source said late on Friday. A US official denied that the attack was carried out by the Americans.
A new United States air strike targetted an Iraqi militia late on Taji road north of Baghdad on Saturday, Australian time, state TV said. It did not name the militia or provide further details.
Futures for Brent crude, a global benchmark, jumped 2.9% to $68.16 per barrel during Asian trading hours on Friday. US oil futures gained 2.8%, reaching $62.86 per barrel. That puts both on pace right now for their biggest daily gains in about a month, according to Refinitiv data.
Incredible overconfidence and sloppiness.
Die Tötung des Generals wurde in der Nacht von den iranischen Revolutionsgarden bestätigt. Soleimani war Chef der iranischen Al-Kuds-Einheit, einer Division der iranischen Revolutionsgarden, die Spezialeinsätze außerhalb des Iran durchführt. Sarif bezeichnete den Raketenangriff als „extrem gefährliche“ und „dumme Eskalation“.
Fears of a major war in the Middle East exploded Thursday night with the U.S. assassination of arguably the second most powerful man in Iran.
A U.S. airstrike killed Iranian Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad late Thursday, the Pentagon said, a dramatic escalation of tensions between the two countries that could lead to widespread violence in the region and beyond.
Later, security sources told local media a strike hit two vehicles, killing Mohammed Redha, a senior member of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units — an umbrella group that includes Iran-backed Shiite militias with close ties to Iran and other militias that have fought the Islamic State group since 2014.
1.1.2020
Due to militia attacks at the U.S. Embassy compound, all public consular operations are suspended until further notice. All future appointments are cancelled. U.S. citizens are advised to not approach the Embassy. The U.S. Consulate General in Erbil is open for visa and American Citizen Services appointments.
Iraqi security forces have regained control of the area around the US Embassy in Baghdad after the compound was rocked by a second day of mass protests.
Earlier Wednesday security personnel fired tear gas and rubber bullets at hundreds of protesters — some of whom were seen trying to climb the building‘s walls — eyewitnesses told CNN.
Five thousand U.S. troops are already stationed in Iraq assisting the country‘s security forces. U.S. forces in the region number around 60,000 troops.
„At the direction of the Commander in Chief @POTUS, I have authorized the deployment of an infantry battalion from the Immediate Response Force (IRF) of the @82ndABNDiv to the @CENTCOM area of operations in response to recent events in Iraq,“ Esper tweeted.
Retired Army Col. Douglas Macgregor reacts to U.S. airstrikes on Iran-backed militia.
The angry demonstrations at the American embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday are just the latest installment in a deepening confrontation between the US and Iran for influence in Iraq.
It‘s a struggle that dates back to the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003 and the emergence of a Shia-dominated state in Iraq. But in light of the Trump administration‘s campaign of maximum economic pressure against Iran, it has reached a new and potentially dangerous pitch.