US air strikes hits Iran-backed militia amenities in Iraq and Syria

PMF, the Popular Mobilisation Forces, is a powerful Iraqi militia alliance that reports four members of the faction got killed. They even had to face threatening to reciprocate. The report comes right after the US informs about it carrying out air strikes near the Iraq-Syria border. The mission also aimed to attack the Iran-backed militias in response to the drone attacks that happened on the US forces in Iraq.

US president, Joe Biden, made himself clear on acting to protect the US personnel. A Pentagon spokesman states the strikes focused on “operational and weapons storage facilities” at three different locations. Around 2,500 US troops residing in Iraq for their fight averse to the jihadist group Islamic State. The US officials also claim, around five drone attacks took place against facilities used by them since April.

Gen Yahya Rasool, a military spokesman, tweeted, “We condemn the US air attack that targeted a site last night on the Iraqi-Syrian border, which represents a blatant and unacceptable violation of Iraqi sovereignty and Iraqi national security.”

Saeed Khatibzadeh, a Spokesperson, told reporters that the US must refrain from developing crises and tensions and “taking emotional steps”.

He also adds that the US attempts to multiply the problems for people residing in the region. A report from Syrian state media claims the killing of a child in one of the air strikes near Syria’s border. A UK-based monitoring group, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported that the strike killed almost seven militia fighters.

The Pentagon claimed the targeted facilities were one location inside Iraq and two in Syria. The US media also reported that President Biden ordered the second round targeted Iran-backed militias in January.

The attacks also carried out via US Air Force F-16s and F-15s using satellite-guided munitions. The previous year US killed one of Iraq’s 2009 attacking-leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, along with Qasem Soleimani, a top Iranian general, in a US drone attack.

Credits: BBC