The Prime Minister of Iraq, Mohamed Shia al Sudani, announced today the formation of a bilateral committee to schedule the withdrawal of international coalition forces led by the United States, a day after Washington killed pro-government militiamen in Baghdad.
“We affirm our firm position to end the existence of the international coalition once the justifications for its existence have ended. We are in the process of setting the date for the start of dialogue through the bilateral committee formed to determine the end of this presence,” said the politician in a speech at the ceremony to remember the Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, assassinated four years ago by the United States.
Al Sudani said in his speech that “the most serious incidents” that “have been repeated more than once in Iraq” have been caused by “attacks by international coalition forces against the headquarters of the Popular Crowd Forces” pro-government militia group, made up mostly of pro-Iranian groups.
The Popular Crowd “represents an official presence affiliated with the State, subject to it, and an integral part of our Armed Forces. We have repeatedly emphasized that in the event of a violation or transgression by any Iraqi party, or if Iraqi law is violated, “The Iraqi government is the only party that has the right to follow up on the merits of these violations,” he said.
“We condemn the attacks against our security forces, which go beyond the spirit and letter of the mandate that created the international coalition,” given that this alliance was formed to fight against the jihadist terrorism of the Islamic State group (IS).
He wanted to emphasize that his government has the will to “make appropriate decisions to preserve the sovereignty, security and stability of Iraq.”
Yesterday, the United States confirmed that its forces were behind the attack that was launched against a headquarters of the pro-Iranian militia group Popular Multitude, in the east of Baghdad, which killed, among others, the commander of the Al Nujaba movement nicknamed Abu Taqua, as well as two other members.
The Iraqi Army said yesterday that this action “is no different from terrorist acts.”
Al Nujaba is also part of the so-called Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which has launched a hundred attacks against targets with a US presence in the Arab country and in Syria since the war broke out in Gaza, on October 7, for support ” unbreakable” from Washington to Israel.
The United States has 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq in a mission it says aims to advise and assist local forces trying to prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State, which in 2014 took over large parts of both countries before of being defeated. Within the framework of this international anti-jihadist coalition, Spain has 178 soldiers deployed.
