The "Iraqi Resistance": We will respond to the U.S. attacks
Shafaq News / the "Iraqi Resistance" vowed to respond as it saw fit to U.S. attacks on Shiite factions on the borders of Iraq and Syria.
"Their crime of targeting the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) checkpoints on the borders of Iraq to confront ISIS will not be the last of the occupation forces (USA), but it will definitely be the most costly," the "Iraqi resistance" factions said in a statement.
The statement said the “Resistance” would overthrow all agreements that were accepted from some political parties, and cancel political understandings because all “had proven to be ineffective.”
The statement put the Iraqi government in a "humiliating position" due to the continuing violations of Iraqi sovereignty, whether by the “occupation forces”, neighboring countries, and accomplices within the government who “excused the occupation forces of their crimes.”
The “Resistance” said investigation should be made to reveal the personnel or parties that cooperated with the “occupation forces” to facilitate “their crimes” against the Iraqi people.
"These crimes will not pass without a response ..for not being repeated,“ the statement vowed.
The PMF has been deploying in growing numbers at the border, fearing hundreds of ISIS who fled Iraq are trying to cross back into Iraqi territory.
The deployment is strengthening the PMF’s de facto control over large stretches of the frontier while its leaders are calling for a formal, permanent role securing the border.
The United States on Thursday carried out airstrikes in eastern Syria against buildings belonging to what the Pentagon said were “Iran-backed militias” responsible for recent attacks against American and allied personnel in Iraq.
The American airstrikes on Thursday “specifically destroyed multiple facilities located at a border control point used by a number of Iranian-backed militia troops, including Kata’ib Hezbollah and Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada,” Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said.
“This proportionate military response was conducted together with diplomatic measures, including consultation with coalition partners,” he added. “The operation sends an unambiguous message: President Biden will act to protect American and coalition personnel.”
Kirby said the American retaliation was meant “to punish the perpetrators of the rocket attack but not to escalate hostilities with Iran”, with which the Biden administration has sought to renew talks on a nuclear deal that President Donald J. Trump had shelved.
“We have acted in a deliberate manner that aims to de-escalate the overall situation in both eastern Syria and Iraq,” Kirby said.
