Iraq’s disappointment about US Withdrawal: ‘Attacks against US Forces Escalates’

Iraqi armed groups announced the cessation of an unofficial cease-fire with the United States forces. US Forces were targeted Immediately.

Resistance Coordination Commission vowed to revive attacks against US military convoys and army bases.

According to the armed group officials, after many political negotiating attempts, the resistance forces provided extended time and opportunity for negotiations between the government and the American officials.  

The outcome of talks, however, proved a failure to secure the interest of the Iraqi nation. No clear settlements were reached for the withdrawal of US forces as a result of the negotiations.

The Iraqi commander asserted that the termination of ceasefire, whose starting point was October 2020, was decided as a result of “the lack of seriousness of the Iraqi and US governments in scheduling the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq.”

“The US military officials stated that there is no imminent schedule for their forces’ withdrawal. As the current government did not deny these statements, the government is neither sincere, qualified, nor able to fulfil the Iraqi people’s will to expel the occupation forces from their land, preserve their sovereignty, and defend their constitution,” part of the statement said.

The statement also emphasized that the seven-month negotiation process was nothing more than a chance for procrastination of the demands based on the country’ legislation.

“All factions agreed to escalate [attacks] against American forces. They decided to carry out more attacks, some of which would be previously unfamiliar in Iraq,” a high-rank person is quoted to have said. “It was decided that the operations would be qualitative and effective. Some would be carried out using missiles, while others would be carried out by drones.”

The Iraqi government has yet to respond to the latest developments, but a senior commander of the PMA, Popular Mobilisation Authority, asserted that the PMA had “little to do with this escalation” and would “not be a part of it.” PMA is an administrational large faction that governs large parts of Iraqi government and its apparatus.

Immediate Attacks

Within hours after the statement was released, a series of attacks against American targets in Iraq set off. Ain al-Assad base in western desert was the main target and three rockets hit the vicinity of, one landed inside, the base. No report about the potential casualties has been published yet.

The attack on Ain al-Assad base was confirmed by an official speaker of the US army. Col. Wayne Marotto wrote in a tweet that “Ain Al-Asad Air Base (AAAB) was attacked by one rocket round. No injuries reported. Damage is being assessed. The attack is under investigation.”

Unofficial reports from the region also indicate that American positions have been the target of four more attacks in early hours of Monday. On one case, the Logistic convoy of the US army was targeted by missiles is Basra, a southern city of Iraq.

Paramilitaries wanted to drive the US forces out of Iraq since a year ago. Assaults on US troops and their partners interfering in local affairs of Iraq has been a routine till last November. The re-ignition of the attacks might lead the government to change policies and deteriorate the condition for the US forces.

Around 3,000 Non-Iraqi troops are believed to be part of the US-led anti-ISIS alliance in Iraq. The US forces comprise more than 2500 soldiers, meaning more than 80% of foreign forces inside Iraq Are American troops.

The local parliament approved a resolution in January 2020 for the expulsion of all foreign military forces from Iraq. The policy was adopted after the Trump-ordered assassination of Iranian Major General Soleimani, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a top commander of the Popular Mobilisation Committee.