US strikes on Iran-backed groups in Iraq are leading Baghdad to reconsider the presence of the US-led coalition, as stated by the prime minister’s military spokesperson.
The US confirmed a recent strike eliminated a Kataib Hezbollah commander, a group accused by the Pentagon of targeting American troops. The spokesperson highlighted the coalition’s role in increasing instability and risking Iraq’s involvement in ongoing conflicts.
The Pentagon informed the Iraqi government about the operation immediately afterwards. Negotiations on the coalition’s future, initiated in January, were halted following an attack in Jordan that resulted in three US soldiers’ deaths, attributed to Iran-supported factions from Syria and Iraq.
Iraq plans to resume discussions regarding the coalition on February 11, according to the Iraqi military’s spokesperson, following a request from the Iraqi Foreign Minister during a call with the US Secretary of State. The talks are anticipated to extend over several months, with uncertain outcomes.
The coalition, established to combat Daesh, includes 2,500 US troops assisting Iraqi forces to prevent the group’s resurgence. Recent months have seen frequent confrontations between US forces and Iran-aligned groups in Iraq and Syria, with US actions last week killing over 40 militants, per the Pentagon.
Among the casualties reported by Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces were fighters, medics, and civilians, while in Syria, the strikes killed 23 individuals defending the targeted sites, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
