Iraq detains pro-Iran fighters following anti-US rocket attacks

The Straits Times (Singapore) ^ | JUN 26, 2020 | The Straits Times

[BeauBo]

Iraqi security forces were on Friday (June 26) interrogating pro-Iran fighters detained for planning a rocket attack in the first such raid in a country caught in the tug-of-war between Teheran and Washington.

Since October, nearly three dozen deadly rocket attacks have hit US military and diplomatic installations in Iraq, with the US blaming pro-Teheran faction Kataeb Hezbollah.

Infuriated, Washington has demanded Iraq take tougher action to hold the perpetrators accountable and Thursday's unprecedented raid appeared to be a response to this call.

Just before midnight Thursday, the elite Counter-Terrorism Service stormed a base in southern Baghdad used by Kataeb Hezbollah, also known as Brigade 45 of the Hashed al-Shaabi force, Iraqi officials and security sources said.

They said more than a dozen Kataeb fighters were arrested, but an official statement from Iraq's Joint Operations Command (JOC) on Friday did not specify which group had been targeted.

It said the operation was based on intelligence about a planned attack on the Green Zone, where the US embassy and other foreign missions, government buildings and UN offices are located.

"Fourteen people were arrested and evidence of the crime confiscated, including two rocket launchers," the JOC statement said.

The raid is the boldest act yet against Teheran-backed groups based in Iraq

[BeauBo]

A very promising change of policy, from the new Iraqi Administration of the new Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi.

[moovova]

It’s not complicated. There’s plenty of desert there...and I’m sure the U.S. left a few front-end loaders that could scoop out a nice, unmarked hole to get rid of the accused.