Iraq Prepares to Avenge the Martyrs of the Popular Mobilization Forces

TEHRAN (Defapress) - Iraqi sources reported a US airstrike on several military positions in the Anbar province in western Iraq, which resulted in the martyrdom and wounding of several Iraqi army and Popular Mobilization Forces.

Targeting of the Al-Habbaniyah base and centers affiliated with the army and the Popular Mobilization Forces

According to reports, positions of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces and a center affiliated with the Iraqi Ministry of Defense in the Al-Habbaniyah base have been targeted. It is said that following the attack on a center affiliated with the Iraqi Ministry of Defense, at least seven Iraqi soldiers were martyred, and 13 others were wounded, and several Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces were also among the victims of these attacks.

Also, at least 20 Iraqi army personnel were killed or wounded in an airstrike on the Habbaniya military clinic in Anbar province.

Baghdad's immediate response: Summoning the US embassy charge d'affaires

In response to these attacks, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ordered the summoning of the US embassy charge d'affaires in Baghdad.

The Iraqi government also issued a statement announcing that, despite all of Iraq's political and operational efforts to keep the country away from the conflict in the region, aggression against Iraqi military units continues, and the latest attack was on the Habbaniya military clinic affiliated with the Ministry of Defense, which resulted in the deaths and injuries of several army personnel.

The statement emphasized that the Iraqi government and armed forces reserve the right to respond with all available means in accordance with the UN Charter and will not remain silent because of the blood of their martyrs.

Iraq's request to pursue the issue in the Security Council

In an interview with Al Jazeera, the Iraqi Prime Minister's advisor on security policy also condemned the attack, calling it a violation of the UN Charter and saying: Complaining to the Security Council is a guaranteed right of Iraq.

He added: "Anyone who attacks diplomatic missions and organizations must be held accountable, and the Iraqi government has given the forces that are targeted the right to respond in self-defense."

The Iraqi government has also announced that it will submit a documented complaint, along with evidence and details, to the UN Security Council and international organizations to establish the rights of Iraq, its people, and citizens against these attacks.

The wave of condemnation among political currents and resistance forces

Meanwhile, Iraqi media aligned with the resistance movement have reported that the attack on the Habbaniyah base and centers affiliated with the Iraqi army and the Popular Mobilization Forces has sparked a wave of anger and condemnation among political currents and resistance forces in the country. According to these media outlets, targeting official Iraqi military facilities, especially a military clinic, is a clear violation of the country's sovereignty and disregard for the official structure of the Iraqi armed forces, because the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) is part of Iraq's defense and security system, according to a law passed by parliament, and has played an important role in defeating the ISIS terrorist group in recent years.

Hadi al-Amiri's statement condemning the attack on the Iraqi army

Following the US airstrike on military positions in Anbar province, Hadi al-Amiri, the Secretary-General of the Badr Organization, also issued a statement strongly condemning the action, calling it a clear aggression against the Iraqi army. He emphasized in the statement that targeting positions affiliated with the Iraqi army demonstrates the hostile nature of this action and a clear violation of international laws and standards.

Referring to the sacrifices of the Iraqi army and security forces in defending the country, Al-Amiri stressed that such attacks will not weaken the will of the security forces to defend Iraq, its people, and national sovereignty. He also expressed condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the attack, stressing that the blood of the victims of this incident will not be in vain and will reveal the true nature of Iraq's enemies.

Akram Al-Kaabi's reaction to the US attack

Following the reactions to the US airstrike in Anbar province, Akram Al-Kaabi, Secretary General of the Iraqi Al-Nujaba Movement, also issued a message strongly condemning the action. In this message, he accused the US of fueling conflicts in the region and emphasized that Washington's policies are based on creating divisions between nations and inciting internal disputes to weaken countries.

Al-Kaabi also claimed that the goal of this approach is to create civil wars, erode the capabilities of countries, and ultimately establish a military presence near the region's oil resources and natural wealth; a process that, according to him, will ultimately lead to continued instability and an increase in problems such as poverty and insecurity for the nations of the region.

Statement by Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada in response to the US attack

Following the airstrike on Iraqi military positions in Anbar province, the Iraqi Resistance group Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada issued a statement condemning the attack, calling it a sign of continued US hostility towards Iraq. The statement said that the attack on centers affiliated with the Ministry of Defense and Iraqi forces at the al-Habbaniyah base shows that American forces do not value Iraqi lives.

The group also stressed that the blood of those killed in this attack will not go unanswered and that resistance forces in various regions of Iraq are ready to respond to this action. The statement continued by calling on the Baghdad government to take serious measures to end the US military presence in Iraq and pursue the country’s rights in international forums.

Resistance warning: Attacks will not go unanswered

Some sources close to the resistance forces have also emphasized that the repetition of such attacks could affect Iraq’s political and security equations and increase pressure to review the framework of the US military presence in the country. In this regard, several resistance commanders and groups have announced that the blood of the martyrs of this attack will not go unanswered and that the Iraqi forces have the right to respond to this action within the framework of defending national sovereignty and the country’s security.

Political and security consequences of recent attacks

This attack can be assessed within the framework of the continuation of US military actions on Iraqi soil and the repeated violation of the country’s sovereignty. Targeting positions that are affiliated with the official Iraqi security forces, including the Popular Mobilization Forces, could once again strengthen the discussion about the necessity of ending the US military presence in Iraq in political circles and public opinion in the country.

As part of Iraq's official defense structure, which has played an important role in the fight against terrorism, especially ISIS, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) have a special place in the country's security equation, and attacks on their positions are met with serious domestic reactions.

In this context, Baghdad's move to pursue the issue in the UN Security Council can be seen as an attempt to defend national sovereignty, officially register this action as a violation of international law, and prevent the recurrence of such attacks against the country's military forces.