U.S. Airstrike in Baghdad Takes Out Iran-Backed Militia Commander
On Thursday in Baghdad, a U.S. airstrike 'smoked' a top commander of an Iran-backed militia, escalating tensions in a region already shaken by the Israel-Hamas war. The target, Mushtaq Taleb al-Saidi, or “Abu Taqwa,” was part of the Harakat al-Nujaba group within the Popular Mobilization Force (PMF), a collective of militias under nominal Iraqi military control but often acting independently.
This group, crucial in fighting the Islamic State, is now at the center of a heated debate over the U.S.-led coalition's role in Iraq, especially since their shift from combat to advisory missions post-2017.
The Iraqi military slammed the airstrike as an unprovoked attack, though it is understood to be retaliation for the over 100 attacks by Iranian-backed militias on U.S. bases since October, seen as retaliation for U.S. support of Israel against Hamas. The airstrike, which left two dead and five wounded, signifies a sharp turn in an already volatile situation, possibly intensifying demands for U.S. withdrawal.