Iraq blames US for killing of Iran-backed militia leader in Baghdad drone strike, vows revenge
- At least four militia fighters were killed, and six others wounded, in a drone strike on an Iran-backed militia headquarters in eastern Baghdad
- A spokesperson and two Iraqi militia commanders accused the United States of carrying out the attack and threatened to retaliate
At least four militia fighters were killed, and six others wounded, in a drone strike on an Iran-backed militia headquarters in eastern Baghdad on Thursday, police and security sources said.
A “US strike” killed a military commander of the Hashed al-Shaabi, an ex-paramilitary force said.
“A drone targeted the logistical support headquarters of Hashed al-Shaabi,” mainly pro-Iranian former paramilitary units integrated into the Iraqi armed forces, said the security official.
A Hashed source, also asking not to be named, claimed the United States was behind the attack.
Harakat al-Nujaba, one of the Hashed’s factions, said in a statement that “the deputy commander of operations for Baghdad, Mushtaq Talib al-Saidi” had been “martyred in a US strike”.
It came amid heightened regional tensions since war broke out between US ally Israel and Iran-backed Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, triggered by the Palestinian group’s deadly October 7 attack.