Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has pledged to initiate a process aimed at expelling the international coalition forces from Iraq.
This decision comes in response to a US airstrike that resulted in the death of a high-ranking militia commander in Baghdad, which occurred almost exactly four years after the assassination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.
The airstrike targeted the headquarters of the Popular Mobilization Forces, an umbrella organization consisting of various armed factions supported by the Iraqi government.
The attack claimed the lives of at least two individuals, including the leader of Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba (HHN), a group that the US has designated as a terrorist organization allegedly backed by Iran.
Prime Minister al-Sudani emphasized that the Popular Mobilization Forces are an official entity affiliated with the state and an integral part of Iraq’s armed forces. He condemned the attacks on the country’s security forces, stating that they exceeded the scope of the mandate that established the international coalition.
The Pentagon, however, maintained that the American forces were invited by Baghdad to assist in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group.
They argued that the January 4 airstrike was a necessary and proportionate response to a series of attacks on US military installations in the region.
Nevertheless, the Iraqi government believes it is time to reassess the terms of the invitation, and Prime Minister al-Sudani intends to initiate a dialogue through the bilateral committee responsible for determining the arrangements for the conclusion of the coalition’s presence. He emphasized Iraq’s commitment to restoring full national sovereignty over its land, airspace, and waters, and expressed the country’s principled stance on ending the existence of the international coalition once its justifications have ceased to exist.
Since October, American military bases in Iraq and illegal outposts in neighboring Syria have been targeted by drone and missile strikes over 110 times.
These attacks, carried out by unidentified parties, have been fueled by regional tensions arising from the Israeli war in Gaza. The United States has accused Tehran of orchestrating these strikes and has reserved the right to retaliate accordingly.
However, the Iraqi Prime Minister has emphasized that any violations or transgressions should be addressed by the Iraqi government, as they hold the sole authority to handle such matters. He further accused Washington of routinely disregarding Iraq’s sovereignty, citing a previous incident committed by the American administration four years ago.
This incident refers to the killing of General Qassem Soleimani, a highly respected figure in Iran, in a US drone strike authorized by former President Donald Trump. The US claimed that Soleimani was planning an imminent attack on their forces.
On the fourth anniversary of his death, a memorial in Iran was targeted by two explosions, resulting in the deaths of nearly 100 people and injuring hundreds more.
While IS terrorists claimed responsibility for the bombings in a Telegram post, the US has maintained that they played no role in the tragic event.
