ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Amid heightened Iran-US tensions, the US embassy in Baghdad has advised its citizens not to travel to Iraq.
“The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad advises all US citizens of heightened tensions in Iraq and the requirement to remain vigilant,” read a Security Alert from the embassy.
The alert comes after the US designated a group of Iraqi Shiite militias known as al-Nujaba Movement, a group notorious for fighting for and propping up the Assad regime in Syria, as a terrorist group in March 5.
The group has close ties with Iran, a highly influential actor for many Shiite militia, providing them with funds and weapons. Some of these groups, like the Badr Organization, have long-running ties to Iran, dating as far back as the fight against Saddam Hussein's regime alongside Iran in the 8-year Iraq-Iran war.
The US deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group to the Middle East to deal with what it described as credible security threats on US personnel by Iran. It is being joined by a May 10 US deployment of the USS Arlington, which transports marines, amphibious vehicles, conventional landing craft, and rotary aircraft, as well as a Patriot missile defense system and an Air Force bomber task force.
Iran was involved in tit-for-tat skirmishes with the US-led coalition force in Iraq from 2005-2010, using the Shiite militia to attack the coalition. The United States claims that hundreds of its members have been killed by Iran in Iraq.
Iraqi leaders worry that their country may become entangled in US-Iran rivalry as tensions continue to escalate.
The Iraq government has repeatedly said that it wants to build relations with everyone and avoid a regional tug-of-war. Both Nouri al-Maliki, former Iraqi PM, and influential Shiite leader Ammar al-Hakim have called for Iraq to be distanced from the conflict.
Washington regularly advises its citizens to be cautious traveling to volatile region but the recent statement in advising its citizens not to travel to Iraq could be interpreted as further escalation.
While showing solidarity with their Shiite brethren in Iran, the Shiite militias in Iraq have generally denied intentions to target US forces, saying they would follow the policy of the Iraqi state. This stance was breached just a few days ago when a leader of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) reacted threateningly to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's surprise visit to Baghdad.
Al-Nujaba have themselves denied ever saying that they would target the US forces, in a statement released on May 11th.
“Whatever statements some news agencies and satellite channels have posted are not coming from the al-Nujaba movement,” said al-Nujaba, in the hope that new outlets would not publish “fabricated” news.
