Seven fighters have been killed and 13 wounded in an aerial attack on a military base in western Iraq's Anbar province. The strikes targeted the military healthcare clinic at the base in Habbaniyah, according to Iraq's Ministry of Defence. The ministry has condemned the attack as a "heinous crime" that violated "all international laws and norms".
The attack occurred on Wednesday, with Iraq's Defence Ministry stating that the strikes were carried out on positions of the Iranian-aligned Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF). The PMF is a paramilitary force that includes some Iran-aligned brigades and reportedly shares the base with members of Iraq's regular army. The strikes appear to be the first time the PMF has been targeted alongside the broader Iraqi military.
The attack has escalated tensions in the region, with Iraq's government reaffirming its right to respond to any attack against the PMF. The Defence Ministry stated that Iraq reserves its full right to take all necessary measures to respond to this aggression within established legal frameworks.
The US has been increasingly targeting the PMF, with the US Department of Defense acknowledging that combat helicopters have carried out strikes against pro-Iran armed groups in Iraq during the current conflict.
💡 NaijaBuzz TakeThe targeting of the PMF by the US is a significant escalation in the conflict, and it raises concerns about the safety of Iraqi military personnel. The fact that the PMF shares a base with members of Iraq's regular army makes this attack all the more concerning.
