Iraqi militia leader says ceasefire with US is over
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The leader of an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia group announced the end of a conditional ceasefire suspending attacks on American interests in the country after a child was killed by rocket fire on Baghdad’s green zone this week.
“The truce with the Americans has ended due to its conditions not being met,” Qais al-Khazali, leader of Asaib Ahl Al-Haq, said in a Thursday interview with Iraqi state media.
Late on Tuesday, rockets landed in Baghdad’s green zone killing a child and injuring five other civilians, just hours after the Pentagon announced it was reducing United States military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Iraq’s Iranian-backed militia groups escalated attacks on US targets in Iraq, including the embassy in Baghdad and bases housing American troops, after the US killed Qasem Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Quds force, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, on January 3. The militias agreed in October to suspend the attacks on condition that Washington withdraws its troops.
Khazali said he does not support targeting the US embassy because it holds a diplomatic purpose, but asserted armed operations are crucial to meet a specific goal. “A stable future for Iraq depends on building state institutions. It is wrong to carry weapons without any reason, but only when it serves a clear goal,” he said. “Whenever the goal disappears, so do the weapons.”
Asaib Ahl Al-Haq is an Iranian-backed Shiite militia group and political party with representation in the Iraqi parliament.
In his interview, Khazali also criticized Iraq’s developing relationship with Saudi Arabia. “It is going to hurt fertile Iraqi land, and strongly harm our water reserves,” he said.
Saudi Arabia announced in mid-October it would increase their investments in Iraq by 10 billion Saudi riyals ($2.7 billion USD) and this week the land border at Arar was reopened after almost 30 years.
“The truce with the Americans has ended due to its conditions not being met,” Qais al-Khazali, leader of Asaib Ahl Al-Haq, said in a Thursday interview with Iraqi state media.
Late on Tuesday, rockets landed in Baghdad’s green zone killing a child and injuring five other civilians, just hours after the Pentagon announced it was reducing United States military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Iraq’s Iranian-backed militia groups escalated attacks on US targets in Iraq, including the embassy in Baghdad and bases housing American troops, after the US killed Qasem Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Quds force, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, on January 3. The militias agreed in October to suspend the attacks on condition that Washington withdraws its troops.
Khazali said he does not support targeting the US embassy because it holds a diplomatic purpose, but asserted armed operations are crucial to meet a specific goal. “A stable future for Iraq depends on building state institutions. It is wrong to carry weapons without any reason, but only when it serves a clear goal,” he said. “Whenever the goal disappears, so do the weapons.”
Asaib Ahl Al-Haq is an Iranian-backed Shiite militia group and political party with representation in the Iraqi parliament.
In his interview, Khazali also criticized Iraq’s developing relationship with Saudi Arabia. “It is going to hurt fertile Iraqi land, and strongly harm our water reserves,” he said.
Saudi Arabia announced in mid-October it would increase their investments in Iraq by 10 billion Saudi riyals ($2.7 billion USD) and this week the land border at Arar was reopened after almost 30 years.