Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba warns against US "reluctance" to withdraw troops from Iraq

Shafaq News/ Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba (HaN), a prominent armed faction in Iraq, raised concerns on Saturday about the Iraqi government's potential "concession" to the withdrawal of US forces, a move they believe could face opposition from various factions.

Harakat al-Nujaba (English: Movement of the Party of God's Noble Ones) is an Iranian-backed, U.S.-designated force formed in 2013 by Akram al-Kaabi.

On January 4, 2024, Washington killed at least two senior HaN commanders in Baghdad, saying they were involved in "terrorist attacks on American forces." Abu Taqwa al-Saeedi was among those killed.

The faction is a prominent part of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, along with Hezbollah Brigades. It has strong ties with the regional resistance factions, mainly Lebanon's Hezbollah.

Firas Al-Yasser, a member of the HaN's political office, told Shafaq News Agency that Prime Minister Al-Sudani is the one responsible for coordinating with the relevant side to follow up on this file, adding, "Al-Sudani pledged the Iraqi factions, parliament, and the public to resolve the US forces withdrawal issue promptly."

Al-Yasser stressed the necessity of "establishing a clear timeline for the withdrawal of US forces," highlighting Iraqi factions' belief that the "US intends to maintain its presence due to strategic and economic interests in Iraq."

"The pressure from Iraqi factions, among other factors, could compel the United States to withdraw its forces. However, if the government succumbs to pressure and signals a withdrawal, factions will respond according to their leadership's decisions and prevailing circumstances."

It is noteworthy that the presence of foreign troops in Iraq has emerged as a significant issue, gaining prominence following the targeted killing of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani and the leader of an Iran-backed leader, Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis in a US drone strike in Baghdad in January 2020, when the Iraqi parliament passed a non-binding resolution calling the government to end the presence of all foreign troops.

In the last months, the ongoing US airstrikes targeting Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq prompted Baghdad to consider terminating the mission of the U.S.-led Coalition.

Currently, 2,500 troops are deployed to "advise, assist, and enable" Iraqi security forces at the government's request.

Last January, a joint Higher Military Commission (HMC) between Iraq and the US-led Coalition to review the Global Coalition's mission after Iraq's victory against ISIS.

So far, the Global Coalition and the Iraq military delegations within HMC have conducted several meetings, but outcomes have yet to be reached in this regard.