Iranian militias staging renewed attacks in Iraq

Islam Mohamed

The Popular Mobilization Forces are staging renewed attacks in Iraq.

The new attacks are coming less than two weeks after the forces struck the Victory base near Baghdad Airport and Balad airbase in the northern part of the Iraqi capital.

A Katyusha missile fell on the Ain al-Assad base in Anbar province in western Iraq. The base is home to a large number of American troops.

The attack on Victory base took place on June 10 with three drones, one of which was shot down.

Iraq’s Security Media Unit said the missile that hit Ain al-Assad base did not explode.

It revealed that security forces are launching an enquiry into the incident.

The unit indicated that the missile was launched towards the base from al-Baghdadi area, but no losses were recorded.

Some observers point accusing fingers at Shiite factions backed by Tehran and run by Revolutionary Guard officers.

These attacks coincide with the negotiations held in Vienna between Tehran and the United States on the return to the Iranian nuclear agreement.

It is worth noting that since the beginning of this year, there have been 43 attacks on US sites inside Iraq, especially the US embassy in Baghdad and Iraqi military bases housing US soldiers.

There have also been attacks on Baghdad and Erbil airports along with the logistical processions of the anti-ISIS international coalition.

The attacks are usually preceded by threats from pro-Iranian factions.

The attacks raise, meanwhile, concern among military officials in the anti-ISIS international coalition which maintains 2,500 soldiers in Iraq, out of 3,500 members of the coalition forces in the country.

Western military officials and diplomats in Iraq believe that these attacks pose a threat, not only to them, but also to their ability to combat ISIS which still has sleeper cells in the desert and mountainous regions of the country.

The Iraqi government has been trying for years to deter the perpetrators of these attacks, but apparently to no avail.