The US drone strike that killed Kataib Hezbollah commander Abu Baqir Al-Saedi in Baghdad on Wednesday has heightened political tensions and risks derailing the ongoing bilateral talks on the future of Coalition forces. The attack elicited the following reactions:
Major General Yehia Rasool, spokesperson for the Commander-in Chief, described the attack in a residential neighborhood as showing “disregard for civilian lives and international law”. He further added, “The Coalition consistently deviates from the reasons and objectives for its presence on our territory. This trajectory compels the Iraqi government more than ever to terminate the mission of this coalition, which has become a factor for instability and threatens to entangle Iraq in the cycle of conflict, and our armed forces cannot neglect their constitutional duties and responsibilities.”
The head of the Security Media Cell, Major General Tahseen Al-Khafaji, said that the attack “undermines all the understandings that existed in past meetings” between Iraq and the United States.
The Coordination Framework’s statement accused the United States of crossing red lines by “targeting official forces and men who contributed to defeating ISIS terrorism and cleansing Iraqi lands of takfiri filth." The statement went on to warn that the US retaliatory attacks would “open the door to counterattacks and the matter will not end there,” stressing the necessity of “continuing government efforts to end the tasks of the Global Coalition, thus ending the series of aggressive attacks, and preserving the safety and security of citizens.”
Qais Al-Khazali said in a statement that the US persistence to undertake these strikes is “evidence of American disdain and disdain for the Iraqi government and people." He declared that “denunciations and condemnations are no longer enough,” adding that an appropriate response “necessitates the need for Iraq to submit a formal request to the UN Security Council, demanding the immediate withdrawal of foreign forces."
Parliament has scheduled a deliberative session on Saturday to discuss “assaults on Iraq’s sovereignty”. Over 100 MPs also signed a petition to introduce a bill on removing all foreign forces from Iraq.
The next meeting of the Higher Military Commission is scheduled for Sunday amid a tense political backdrop that will make it difficult for the two sides to undertake a sober assessment of the security conditions on the ground.