February 08, 2024
On January 28 a drone strike killed U.S. soldiers near an (illegal) U.S. base on the Syrian/Iraqi/Jordan border triangle. The attack followed after open U.S. support for the Israeli attempt to genocide Gaza.
Yesterday a U.S. 'retaliation' strike on leaders of an Iraqi militia under the command of the Iraqi Ministry of Interior killed two top officers of Kataib Hezbullah. (The Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah is not related to Hezbullah in Lebanon):
U.S. Strike in Baghdad Kills Iranian-Backed Militia Commander (archived) - New York Times, Feb 7 2024
Videos from the scene showed the charred wreckage of a vehicle in a neighborhood of eastern Baghdad, and a nearby fire.A senior Kata’ib Hezbollah official and Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps both said that two commanders had been killed in the strike. Witnesses said identification cards found nearby identified them as Arkan al-Elayawi and Abu Bakir al-Saadi.
In response, crowds gathered at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, chanting “America is the devil.”
Wednesday’s strike came after three quieter days in the Mideast, following American salvos on Friday and Saturday, the first in what Mr. Biden and his aides have said will be a sustained campaign of retaliation.
The U.S. strike came days after Kataib Hezbullah had promised to follow orders from the Iraqi government to stand down and to cease all hostile activities.
As Reuters reported last week:
Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah says it suspends attacks on US forces - Reuters, Jan 30 2024
Iran-aligned Iraqi armed group Kataib Hezbollah announced on Tuesday the suspension of all its military operations against U.S. troops in the region, in a decision aimed at preventing "embarrassment" of the Iraqi government, the group said."As we announce the suspension of military and security operations against the occupation forces - in order to prevent embarrassment of the Iraqi government - we will continue to defend our people in Gaza in other ways," Kataib Hezbollah Secretary-General Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi said in a statement.
Three U.S. troops were killed in a drone attack near the Jordan-Syria border on Sunday that the Pentagon said bore the "footprints" of Kataib Hezbollah, though a final assessment had not yet been made.
A Pentagon spokesperson declined to comment on the group's statement, adding: "Actions speak louder than words."
The order to stand down had come from the Prime Minister of Iraq but was also supported by the government of Iran which has some ideological influence on Kataib Hizbullah:
Kataib Hezbollah's decision followed days of intensive efforts by Iraq's prime minister to prevent a new escalation after the Jordan attack, his foreign affairs adviser Farhad Alaadin said."Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani has been hard at work in the past few days, engaging with all relevant parties inside and outside Iraq," Alaadin said in an interview.
"All sides need to support the efforts of the Prime Minister to prevent any possible escalation," he added.
In its statement, Kataib Hezbollah also said there were disagreements with allies over its attacks, singling out Iran.
It said counterparts in the Axis of Resistance "often object to the pressure and escalation against the American occupation forces in Iraq and Syria," the statement said.
But a week after Kataib Hezbullah, under order of the Iraqi Prime Minister, announced its stand down, the U.S. escalated the situation by killing two Kataib leaders, Abu Baqir al-Saadi and Hajj Arkan al-Alaywi, with a drone strike in the mid of Baghdad.
Kataib Hezbollah is a member of the Popular Mobilization Forces of Iraq which are an official part of the security services of Iraq. An attack on it is an attack on the State of Iraq.
This to me seems to be an intentional escalation by the U.S. designed to deepen the conflicts in the Middle East.
Already the first U.S. 'retaliation strike' after the January 28 attack which hit some 85 alleged targets was quite exaggerated.
Several other 'retaliation strike' against Houthi positions in the center of Yemen also seemed to be far more devastating than Houthi action against seaborne assets, related to Israel and the U.S/UK, would allow for.
It looks like the Biden administration is intentionally hitting back much harder than would be appropriate.
It may well hope that such exaggerated 'revenge' strikes will create some 'deterrence'.
But any such believe is false.
When Kataib Hezbullah leaders are killed, after they had followed orders to stand down, than other Kataib members will ignore all future stand down orders and restart their own attacks on U.S. positions in Iraq and elsewhere.
The U.S. wants a larger war in the Middle East?
The way it behaves it is likely to get one.
The Office of the Prime Minister of Iraq has responded to the U.S. attack:
المكتب الإعلامي لرئيس الوزراء 🇮🇶 @IraqiPMO - 8:09 UTC · Feb 8, 2024American forces has repeated irresponsibly all the actions that would undermine the established understandings and hinder the initiation of bilateral dialogue. It conducted a blatant assassination through an airstrike in the heart of a residential neighborhood in the capital, Baghdad, showing no regard for civilian lives or international laws.
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
Also this from another PMF militia:
Marwa Osman || مروة عثمان @Marwa__Osman - 5:43 UTC · Feb 8, 2024Statement Issued by the Iraqi Islamic Resistance Al-Nujabaa Movement after the US assassinated Hezbollah Brigade leader in Baghdad:
"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. "O you who have believed, fight those adjacent to you of the disbelievers and let them find in you harshness. And know that Allah is with the righteous." [Quran 9:123]
O valiant resistors, you who fight the oppressive occupier, now is your time, this is your battle. By Allah, it is nothing but a single death, so let it be with honor and dignity. Let our revenge for the blood of the martyrs be to hold America, its allies, partners, and interests accountable. Let this be our first and foremost cause from now on.
Today, in the heart of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, the treacherous American aircraft targets the revered commander in the Popular Mobilization Forces and the Hezbollah Brigades, the martyr Abu Baqir Al-Saadi. The commander Al-Saadi was affiliated with an official Iraqi institution linked to the General Commander of the Armed Forces, leading to his martyrdom.
Where is sovereignty and the sanctity of blood and land? Iraqi people, let this disregard for Iraqi blood be a constant reminder. By Allah, this will not be limited to the sons of the Popular Mobilization Forces or the men of the resistance alone. The hand of treachery will extend to anyone who stands against this oppressive occupier, even those who think they are safe from the flames of occupation. If there is not a firm and decisive official stance from the Iraqi government, our response will be resolute, with the permission of Allah. These crimes will not go unpunished, and you will know then that our patience has run out.
Await our response, as we will choose the appropriate time and place, and the outcome is for the righteous.
The Islamic Resistance Movement of Al-Nujaba
Thursday, 8th of February, 2024
Corresponding to 27th of Rajab, 1445 Hijriyah."
Posted by b on February 8, 2024 at 8:26 UTC | Permalink