Shiite group calls Americans same as ISIS and bars them from training site

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—Iraqi army’s Join Command confirmed that a group of trainers who were described as foreigners by the Shiite paramilitary of Hashd al-Shaabi were stopped from entering a location under their control in Diyala province on Saturday morning for “lack of prior coordination” with the group.

 

The Joint Command said its statement was to clarify remarks made by the Shiite Nujabaa Movement, a group under the command of Hashd al-Shaabi who claimed that their forces stopped an American team from entering an area in Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad. 

 

“There was presence of a number of trainers with  the  special operations regiment of the Counter Terrorism Service who wanted to conduct training in the field in Makhul mountain,” the statement from the Iraqi armed forces said without mentioning the identity of the trainers. “The training includes drills on sniper and artillery fire.  The Counter Terrorism Service forces returned to where they came from upon the refusal from the force that held the unit for lack of prior coordination.”

 

The spokesperson for Nujaba Movement told Rudaw on Saturday that the foreign troops were Americans.

 

“This morning the American forces made an advance and tried to enter to places where we are present at, places that we have held for a long time and face counterattacks every day from the ISIS gangs.” Hashm al-Musawi told Rudaw. “We had said earlier that we will not allow the American forces into unstable places and liberated places as that is against Iraq’s sovereignty--that is first.”

 

“And  second,” he added. “The Americans have dirty games, plans, and secret aims--because we believe the terrorist project of ISIS is an integral part of American projects in the region, and therefore these forces are not welcome, not wanted at all.”

 

Al-Musawi said that they will deal with American forces in the same way they are treating the Shiite forces. 

 

“The American forces always put red lines. They prevent anyone, any party or any force of Hashd al-Shaabi from entering fronts that they hold. As they put red lines, they also exercise veto [on this]. We will deal with them in kind.” Al-Musawi explained.

 

This development comes amid shifting US policy towards the Shiite paramilitary that was recognized by law las month, training hundreds of its members despite concerns over the group’s violations of human rights.

 

In late December US Commanding General of the anti-ISIS global coalition forces Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend described the Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi as “remarkably disciplined” and following orders from Baghdad.

 

The US general said that, as a national force, the Hashd al-Shaabi could help make Iraq more secure as long as they are not influenced by Iran. The US government, Townsend said, “is going to try to shape” the law that legalized the Shiite force.

 

Al-Musawi said that there were designated places for foreign advisers which did not include areas under the control of their forces. 

 

“We reject the return of occupation in all forms and shapes,” he said, in reference to the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.