Iranian militias staging renewed attacks in Iraq
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.