Iraq Announces Three Days of Public Mourning for US Raids Victims

Caretaker government of Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi announced three days of public mourning for members of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) who were killed in US drone strikes on a number of Kata'ib Hezbollah bases in Anbar province.

News ID: 448242

Date: 01 January 2020 - 08:03

RNA - Mahdi announced three days of mourning starting Tuesday out of respect for "the lives of the martyrs of our armed forces ... following the unjust assault they were subjected to."

On Sunday, US forces conducted drone strikes on a number of Kata'ib Hezbollah bases in Iraq's western Anbar province, killing at least 25 individuals and leaving another 51 injured.

Kata'ib Hezbollah is part of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), also known as Hashd al-Sha'abi.

Following the strikes, the Pentagon issued a statement saying that it had targeted three locations of the Iraqi fighters in Iraq and two in Syria in response to alleged attacks targeting American forces.

The incident led to a massive funeral ceremony for the Iraqi martyrs, followed by a huge rally by thousands of angry protesters who reached the US diplomatic mission in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, chanting ‘Death to America’ and burning US flags on Tuesday.

According to Tasnim News Agency, the protesters further held up signs calling for the US mission to be shut down and for the parliament to order US forces to leave Iraq.

Many protesters have set up tents, announcing plans for an indefinite sit-in until the embassy is closed and the ambassador expelled from the country.

A few hours into the protest, tear gas was fired in an attempt to disperse the crowd.

847/940