ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Influential Iraqi Shiite cleric and politician Muqtada al-Sadr on Thursday blasted whom he described as "insolent militias," whose actions continue to cause fatalities among Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), he said. The sharp remarks come a day after Saudi-US strikes on positions belonging to the umbrella group left dozens dead and injured.
"The insolent militias' actions and the failure to confine arms to state control have caused and continue to cause the martyrdom of fighters from the Popular Mobilization Forces and [Iraqi] security forces without just cause," Sadr said in a statement posted on X.
He further slammed armed group leaders who "enjoy security and comfort," offering "no condolences for those whose actions caused this loss," while urging an end to "individual and irrational actions" that have led to bloodshed.
A day earlier, the PMF said "at least 20" of its members were killed and "32 others were injured" as a result of the joint American-Saudi strikes, which targeted a number of the organization's "official headquarters" in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, and five other provinces.
"The announced numbers of martyrs and wounded are considered a preliminary toll subject to increase or update," the PMF said.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Wednesday that the "precision strikes in Iraq" were launched against "Iran-aligned terrorists that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) directed to attack U.S. forces and Saudi energy infrastructure."
Meanwhile, the Saudi defense ministry stated it had launched the strikes "following reprehensible drone attacks carried out against the Kingdom by Iran-backed militias in Iraq," reaffirming "the Kingdom's determination to deter the perpetrators and its right to respond."
In what appeared to be an immediate push to mitigate tensions, Sadr on Wednesday issued a statement in the immediate aftermath of the deadly strikes, saying that since Iraq did not serve as "a launching point" for the strikes that targeted Iran during the six-week war, the IRGC should "refrain from targeting our sacred, independent lands."
He also underlined that "unrestrained militias should not give a pretext to the brothers in the Arab Gulf states" to target Iraq as well.
"As I denounce the targeting of sacred Iraqi territory by all states and parties, and denounce the actions of the insolent militias in dragging Iraq into a futile war, I call on the Iraqi government to impose security, enforce sovereignty, and work seriously for the safety of the Iraqi people and their sanctities," the influential cleric urged.
Sadr further cautioned against what he described as "sleeper terrorist cells at home and abroad" capitalizing on the tensions to "destabilize security in sacred Iraq," while voicing a "call for peace and reconciliation to all neighboring states."
Iraq on Wednesday denounced the targeting of PMF positions across the country, noting the strikes coincided with its communication with “concerned parties" to verify Saudi claims of an attack on its oil facilities launched from Iraqi territory.
Baghdad also announced an "integrated security plan" to confront violations of its sovereignty and prevent any side from using Iraqi soil to attack neighboring countries as well.
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