Kataeb Hezbollah Blasts US for Turning Iraq into Ground for Avenging Iran

Kataeb Hezbollah group, affiliated to Hashd al-Shaabi (popular forces), condemned the US for attacking its positions in Iraq and using the country's soil as a ground to take revenge for its failures against Iran.

News ID: 448245

Date: 01 January 2020 - 10:24

RNA - "When the US wants to target a group in Iraq, it attributes them to Iran. The Americans label the Iraqi sons who have confronted the ISIL as affiliated to Iran," Spokesman of Iraq's Kataeb Hezbollah Mohammed Mohei told the Arabic-language service of RT on Tuesday.

He added that the strategic agreements signed between Baghdad and Washington do not allow the US to establish permanent bases in Iraq, use Iraq's land as a platform against other countries or attack any Iraqi groups.

Separately, Mohei said in an interview with the Arabic-language Baghdad al-Youm news website that the leaders of Kataeb Hezbollah have in a meeting studied ways to respond to the US attacks, and stated, "A proper response at a desirable level should be given to the aggression. The US Sunday night attack flagrantly violated Iraq's sovereignty."

The US drones on Sunday bombarded a Hashd al-Shaabi base near the border with Syria in Iraq's Western province of Anbar, a Hashd Shaabi statement said.

The attack took place in the evening when the US drones bombarded the base of Hashd Shaabi's 45th Brigade near the border town of al-Qaim, the statement said.

The bombardment left tens of the brigade's members killed and wounded.

In reaction, Hashd al-Shaabi Lieutenant Commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis warned of a harsh response to the attack, saying that the blood of martyrs will not be wasted.

Also, Asa'eb al-Haq Movement, affiliated to the Iraqi popular forces of Hashd al-Shaabi, described the US deployment in Iraq as a threat to the country, calling on all political groups to react to Washington's "cowardly attack".

Meantime, Qassem Moslih, the commander of Hashd al-Shaabi in al-Anbar province, said that the US wanted to change the equations by bombing the popular forces' positions.

Also, resigned Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi in a message to the US secretary of defense underlined his opposition to the attack, waring that bombing Hashd al-Shaabi positions is a dangerous tension which threatens the security of Iraq and the region.

Meantime, Head of the National Wisdom Movement of Iraq Ammar al-Hakim condemned the attack, describing it as clear violation of Iraq's sovereignty.

Also, Falih al-Khazali, a member of al-Fatah coalition in the Iraqi parliament, warned that the US forces have started an obvious war against Iraq.

Meantime, Iraq's Hezbollah Brigades in a statement deplored the attack, terming it hostile aggression against the defenders of Iraq's borders.

Also, Iraqi President Barham Salih underlined that the attack was conducted against the two countries' agreements, describing it as unacceptable.

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