PMF: US drone strikes in northern Babil kill four PMF Fighters

Shafaq News/ The Al-Jazira Operations Command of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) accused the United States on Wednesday of conducting drone strikes in northern Babil, resulting in the deaths of four PMF fighters, including commander "Abu Hassan."

In a statement, the Operations Command reported that "at 10:00 PM on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, a headquarters belonging to the 47th Brigade of the Al-Jazira Operations Command in the PMF was targeted by three drone strikes by American aircraft in the Al-Sa'idat area of Jurf al-Nasr in Babil Governorate."

"The strikes resulted in the deaths of four members of the 47th Brigade: Commander Ahmed Najm Abdul Zahra (Abu Hassan), Hussein Karim Kazem Al-Daraji, Haider Hassan Hussein Al-Saadi, and Ali Sadiq Imran Al-Moussawi," according to the statement.

The statement further alleged that "the American forces remain adamant in their hostile approach towards the members of the Popular Mobilization Forces, targeting a group of technical mujahedeen while performing their national and moral duty of protecting the land of Hussein and securing the pilgrims of his Arbaeen."

US officials told Reuters that the United States conducted a strike in Iraq on Tuesday in "self-defense."

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the officials confirmed that the strike targeted militants the US deemed were planning to launch drones and posed a threat to US and coalition forces.

"This action underscores the United States' commitment to the safety and security of our personnel," one official told Reuters.

Tuesday's strike marks the first known US action in Iraq since February when the US military launched airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against more than 85 targets linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard and Iran-aligned forces.

Iraq has requested that troops from the U.S.-led military coalition begin withdrawing in September and formally end the coalition's mission by September 2025.