Iraq’s resistance groups slam US airstrikes as ‘violation of sovereignty’

Iraq’s anti-terror resistance groups have condemned the latest airstrikes by the United States on several sites used by fellow fighters in the country.

The Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), better known by the Arabic word Hashd al-Sha’abi, said in a statement on Saturday, “The US bombardment constitutes a flagrant violation of the Iraqi sovereignty, as it targeted sites belonging to state security institutions."

"It also struck residential buildings, terrorizing ordinary citizens. Such actions mark a blatant disregard for all international principles and regulations,” it added.

The attacks targeted the official security headquarters of the PMU in the town of Qa’im, located nearly 400 kilometers (248 miles) northwest of the capital Baghdad and near the Syrian border.

The statement said the act of aggression resulted in the death of 16 people and injury of 36 others.

“We, hereby, declare our preparedness to carry out any orders from the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces [Prime Minister Mohamed Shia’ al-Sudani] to defend national sovereignty, territorial integrity and public security.”

Iraq summons US chargé d’affaires in protest over airstrikes

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry summoned the US diplomat to deliver a formal memorandum of protest over the overnight airstrikes.

Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba also condemned the airstrikes, stating that the attacks violated the sovereignty and dignity of Iraq, resulted in the martyrdom of several PMU fighters and ordinary people, and emboldened Daesh Takfiri terrorists to target security forces.

“With this act of aggression, the evil administration of US President Joe Biden confirmed that it is a sponsor of terrorism and crimes in the world, and that such violations amount to a grave breach of sovereignty.”

Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba declared its readiness to launch strikes on US occupation forces, emphasizing that the Islamic Resistance in Iraq – an umbrella group of anti-terror fighters – is now capable of striking far-flung points and delivering befitting responses to the enemy.

“Let American occupation forces and the ominous administration know that the Islamic Resistance will respond as it deems appropriate in time and place. We have surprises that will enrage the enemy and delight our allies,” Nujaba stated.

The Iraqi resistance group reiterated it will neither compromise and retreat nor back down from its struggle against US forces.

Hadi al-Amiri, the leader of the Badr Organization and a key resistance figure, also condemned the airstrikes on Qa’im.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its military forces struck more than 85 targets in Iraq and Syria “with numerous aircraft to include long-range bombers flown from the United States.” The attacks “employed more than 125 precision munitions.”

US says it carried out airstrikes on 85 targets inside Iraq and Syria

The US says it has carried out airstrikes on 85 targets inside Iraq and Syria.

US President Joe Biden said in a statement on Friday that the strikes were the first in a series of actions by Washington in response to a recent drone attack that killed a number of soldiers at a remote US base in Jordan. “Our response began today,” Biden said.

“It will continue at times and places of our choosing.” 

Three US soldiers were killed and about 40 others injured in the assault on the military base known as Tower 22 near the Jordan-Syria border on January 28. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for the drone strike.

In retaliation for the latest flurry of US attacks on several locations in Iraq and Syria, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced that it had conducted missile strikes against the Ain al-Asad Airbase, housing US occupation forces in the western Iraqi province of Anbar.

The group also said it had carried out missile and drone strikes against the strategic al-Tanf military base in southeastern Syria near the border with Jordan and Iraq, as well as the village of Khadra in Syria's northeastern province of Hasakah.

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