Iraq has condemned U.S. airstrikes southwest of Baghdad describing them as an “unacceptable violation” of sovereignty, saying they were carried out without coordination with the government.
The United States said it conducted the strikes targeting Iran-backed Iraqi militias on Tuesday, after the militias used a close-range ballistic missile against U.S. and coalition forces at the Ain al-Asad base in Iraq, causing several non-serious injuries and minor damage to infrastructure.
“We strongly condemn the attack that took place without the knowledge of Iraqi government agencies, which is considered a clear violation of sovereignty and an attempt to disrupt internal security stability,’’ a government spokesman said in a statement.
The Iraqi government is the only body concerned with implementing the law and holding violators accountable, and no external party has the right to carry out this role on its behalf, it added.
The strike “is a clear violation’’ of the international coalition forces’ mission, which Iraq said is to fight Islamic State militants and provide support, training, and counselling to the Iraqi armed forces.
The government urged the coalition forces “not to act unilaterally.”
Sources in Iraq’s Iran-allied Hashd Shaabi militia told dpa that nine of its members were killed in the U.S. strike.
Since October Iraqi pro-Iran militias have intensified their attacks on U.S. military bases in Syria and Iraq as a response to the Israeli military campaign in Gaza. They have also been demanding the withdrawal of foreign troops in Iraq.
According to the U.S. Department of Defense, since Oct. 17, there have been at least 66 attacks on U.S. bases, 32 attacks in Iraq and 34 in Syria. (dpa/NAN). READ ALSO:
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