The US military on Thursday struck a base in eastern Baghdad used by Iran-backed armed groups, killing a commander who had conducted attacks on American forces in Iraq and Syria, the Pentagon said.
The strike hit a site used as a logistics headquarters by the 12th Brigade of Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces, an umbrella group of predominantly Shiite militias backed by Iran.
Among those killed was Mushtaq Jawad Kazim Al Jawari, who was a senior member of the Harakat Al Nujaba militia, one of the militias in the PMF.
“Abu Taqwa was actively involved in planning and carrying out attacks against American personnel,” Pentagon Press Secretary Maj Gen Pat Ryder told reporters.
“The strike also killed one other [Harakat Al Nujaba] member. It is important to note that this strike was taken in self-defence, that no civilians were harmed and no infrastructure or facilities were struck.”
At least six other militants were injured in at least two explosions, security officials and militia leaders reported.
Video published on militia-linked social media accounts and TV stations showed charred and twisted remains of a car in the headquarters near the Interior Ministry.
The target of the attack was a vehicle containing Abu Taqwa.
“The US is continuing to take action to protect our forces in Iraq and Syria by addressing the threats they face,” a US official told The National.
Militia leaders also said the US carried out the attack and said those killed were “senior leaders”, in a public statement.
The Iraqi government criticised the US-led International Coalition, formed in 2014 to fight ISIS, for conducting the attack.
Military spokesman Maj Gen Yahya Rasool said in a statement that the attack “is a flagrant and alarming aggression on the sovereignty of Iraq”.
“It is no different from terrorist acts,” Maj Gen Rasool said.
“Iraqi armed forces hold the International Coalition troops responsible for this unjustified attack against an Iraqi security apparatus operating under powers given by the Commander in Chief,” he added.
The latest development “undermines all understandings between the Iraqi armed forces and the International Coalition”, he added.
“We consider this targeting a dangerous escalation and an assault on Iraq and away from the mandate given to the International Coalition in Iraq,” he said.
Maj Gen Ryder said Iraq is an “important and valued partner”.
“Our forces are there at the invitation of the government of Iraq to help train and advise and support of the Defeat ISIS mission. And so as we have been doing all along, we will continue to consult closely with the Iraqi government about the safety and security of US forces,” he said.
He added that the US maintains its “inherent right of self-defence and will take necessary action to protect our personnel”.
Iraq's Foreign Ministry condemned the “aggression”, saying the country “reserves its right to take a firm stance and take all measures that deter anyone who tries to harm its land and security forces”.
The PMF's 12th Brigade is linked to Al Nujaba, or Harakat Hezbollah Al Nujaba, one of several groups accused of attacking US troops in Iraq and Syria.
The group is supported by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force, which provides weapons and training for militias in Iraq.
It was established in 2013 and has militants in Iraq and Syria.
Iran-backed militias have increased drone and rocket attacks against US forces in Iraq and Syria, citing Washington's support for Israel in the Gaza war.
The US has responded with a series of strikes that have killed more than a dozen in Iraq and Syria.
This attack was the first to be carried out during the day.
The US has 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq to advise and assist local forces to prevent a resurgence of ISIS, which in 2014 seized vast areas of the countries.
Since the extremist group was defeated in 2017, pro-Tehran militias and political parties have called for US troops to be expelled.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani said last week that his government was working to end the presence of foreign troops from the US-led coalition.
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It's up to you to go green
Nils El Accad, chief executive and owner of Organic Foods and Café, says going green is about “lifestyle and attitude” rather than a “money change”; people need to plan ahead to fill water bottles in advance and take their own bags to the supermarket, he says.
“People always want someone else to do the work; it doesn’t work like that,” he adds. “The first step: you have to consciously make that decision and change.”
When he gets a takeaway, says Mr El Accad, he takes his own glass jars instead of accepting disposable aluminium containers, paper napkins and plastic tubs, cutlery and bags from restaurants.
He also plants his own crops and herbs at home and at the Sheikh Zayed store, from basil and rosemary to beans, squashes and papayas. “If you’re going to water anything, better it be tomatoes and cucumbers, something edible, than grass,” he says.
“All this throwaway plastic - cups, bottles, forks - has to go first,” says Mr El Accad, who has banned all disposable straws, whether plastic or even paper, from the café chain.
One of the latest changes he has implemented at his stores is to offer refills of liquid laundry detergent, to save plastic. The two brands Organic Foods stocks, Organic Larder and Sonnett, are both “triple-certified - you could eat the product”.
The Organic Larder detergent will soon be delivered in 200-litre metal oil drums before being decanted into 20-litre containers in-store.
Customers can refill their bottles at least 30 times before they start to degrade, he says. Organic Larder costs Dh35.75 for one litre and Dh62 for 2.75 litres and refills will cost 15 to 20 per cent less, Mr El Accad says.
But while there are savings to be had, going green tends to come with upfront costs and extra work and planning. Are we ready to refill bottles rather than throw them away? “You have to change,” says Mr El Accad. “I can only make it available.”
Five hymns the crowds can join in
Papal Mass will begin at 10.30am at the Zayed Sports City Stadium on Tuesday
Some 17 hymns will be sung by a 120-strong UAE choir
Five hymns will be rehearsed with crowds on Tuesday morning before the Pope arrives at stadium
‘Christ be our Light’ as the entrance song
‘All that I am’ for the offertory or during the symbolic offering of gifts at the altar
‘Make me a Channel of your Peace’ and ‘Soul of my Saviour’ for the communion
‘Tell out my Soul’ as the final hymn after the blessings from the Pope
The choir will also sing the hymn ‘Legions of Heaven’ in Arabic as ‘Assakiroo Sama’
There are 15 Arabic speakers from Syria, Lebanon and Jordan in the choir that comprises residents from the Philippines, India, France, Italy, America, Netherlands, Armenia and Indonesia
The choir will be accompanied by a brass ensemble and an organ
They will practice for the first time at the stadium on the eve of the public mass on Monday evening
Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour Calendar 2018/19
July 29: OTA Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan
Sep 22-23: LA Convention Centre in Los Angeles, US
Nov 16-18: Carioca Arena Centre in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Feb 7-9: Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE
Mar 9-10: Copper Box Arena in London, UK
Grand Slam Los Angeles results
Men:
56kg – Jorge Nakamura
62kg – Joao Gabriel de Sousa
69kg – Gianni Grippo
77kg – Caio Soares
85kg – Manuel Ribamar
94kg – Gustavo Batista
110kg – Erberth Santos
Women:
49kg – Mayssa Bastos
55kg – Nathalie Ribeiro
62kg – Gabrielle McComb
70kg – Thamara Silva
90kg – Gabrieli Pessanha
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 2
Rashford 28', Martial 72'
Watford 1
Doucoure 90'
The biog
Favourite Quote: “Real victories are those that protect human life, not those that result from its destruction emerge from its ashes,” by The late king Hussain of Jordan.
Favourite Hobby: Writing and cooking
Favourite Book: The Prophet by Gibran Khalil Gibran
