ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Iraqi Shiite groups and militias have said they will fight against a proposed deployment of US Special Forces troops to Iraq to fight ISIS.
Iraqi Shiite militants of Kataib Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Badr Organization and Asaib Ahl al-Haq on Tuesday pledged to fight US troops.
“We will fight any American force deployed in Iraq,” said Jafaar Hussaini, a spokesperson for Kataib Hezbollah, as quoted by Reuters. He added that the group’s primary target will become US troops if they are deployed in Iraq, warning that Kataib Hezbollah has fought Americans in the past and will fight them again.
According to Reuters, the Iran-backed Badr Organization and Asaib Ahl al-Haq have also claimed similar statements against the United States, which has been playing a big role in the battle against ISIS since 2014, when it began providing advisors and trainers to Iraqi forces as well as direct air support.
Up to 3,500 US troops are currently advising and assisting Iraqi forces, including Kurdish Peshmerga fighters.
The United States announced Tuesday it would send an “expeditionary” elite group to combat ISIS. US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said the force would be larger than the 50 American special operations troops already being deployed in neighboring Syria.
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