Monday's rocket attack on US forces in Iraq could derail negotiations on foreign troop withdrawal from the country, diplomats and officials told The National.
Iraq’s vast Ain Al Asad airbase, mainly run by Iraqi forces but also hosting a large contingent of US and foreign troops, came under attack late on Monday wounding at least five US army service members and two contractors.
In recent months, Baghdad and Washington have been engaged in talks on arranging a departure for American forces from Iraq. However, the talks have been progressing at a slower pace than demanded by the Iran-backed militias, which could be an indication as to why attacks have resumed.
The groups have repeatedly warned that if the Iraqi government fails to agree on the withdrawal of US forces, who lead an international training and advising effort for the Iraqi army, attacks will resume.
“What is important to note is that such an attack counters the own interests of Iraq, in particular with regard to the negotiations on the withdrawal of international troops,” a diplomatic source told The National.
The Iran-backed militias agreed to an unofficial truce early this year, which has generally held despite sporadic attacks on US troops.
“It is irrelevant whether any truce has been broken,” said the diplomat who did not want to be named for security purposes.
The attack comes amid fears of a wider regional escalation between Iran, Lebanon and Israel following the assassinations of top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukr.
The attack could be “a retaliation to the US strike against Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) on 30 July”, said the diplomat. In addition to having bases throughout Iraq, the PMF operate widely in eastern Syria.
American forces carried out a strike in Iraq in “self defence” last week as regional tensions rose after an Israeli air strike in Beirut that Israel said killed Hezbollah's most senior commander.
The strike inside a base south of Baghdad killed four PMF members, of several that contains several Iran-aligned armed militias.
American officials said the strike targeted militants that the US deemed were looking to launch drones and posed a threat to US and coalition forces.
“We reject any attack from inside or outside Iraq on international bases in Iraq,” said the diplomat.
The latest attack “touches upon the sovereignty of Iraq and only contributes to an escalation of the currently difficult regional security situation”, the diplomat said.
Baghdad said it rejects all “reckless” actions that target Iraqi bases, diplomatic missions, and US-led coalition outposts.
The Iraqi army said in a statement given to The National “through intelligence and security work, we have obtained important information about the perpetrators of this attack, and they are currently being pursued to bring them to justice. Including leaders, commanders and officers will be held to account”.
It did not mention who was behind the attack.
“We will not accept that Iraq will be used as an arena for settling scores and to be dragged into woes of war and conflict,” it said.
A leader of an Iraqi faction told The National that various armed groups are reconsidering the unofficial truce with the US forces.
"It is true that we gave the government a chance to negotiate with the Americans in order to end the US military presence on Iraqi territory, but the American administration is stalling," said the source who did not want to be named.
Abbas Al Zaidi, a member of the political bureau of the Sayyid Al Shuhada Brigades, told The National, that Iraqi armed groups are also ready to respond to the assassinations of Mr Haniyeh and Mr Shukr.
Although there are negotiations between Washington and Baghdad on the withdrawal of forces it "does not mean that the resistance factions welcome their presence," Mr Al Zaidi added.
Monday's attack on Ain Al Asad airbase was claimed by a new militia group calling themselves the Revolutionaries. Experts say many of the new militias that have claimed attacks on US forces are simply front organisations for larger, US-sanctioned groups.
Iran-allied groups operating in Iraq include the prominent Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah who have launched several thousand strikes on US personnel in the past.
Diplomats based in the Iraqi capital have been given “repeated reassurance of protection by the Iraqi government and at this point in time we have no reasons to doubt this”, said the diplomat.
Brief scoreline:
Crystal Palace 2
Milivojevic 76' (pen), Van Aanholt 88'
Huddersfield Town 0
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The Saga Continues
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Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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Rating: 4.5/5
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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
COPA DEL REY
Semi-final, first leg
Barcelona 1 (Malcom 57')
Real Madrid (Vazquez 6')
Second leg, February 27
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
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The Light of the Moon
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What is a rare disease?
A rare disease is classified as one that affects a small percentage of the population. More than 7,000 diseases are identified as rare and most are genetic in origin. More than 75 per cent of rare genetic diseases affect children.
Collectively rare diseases affect 1 in 17 people, or more than 400 million people worldwide. Very few have any available treatment and most patients struggle with numerous health challenges and life-long ailments that can go undiagnosed for years due to lack of awareness or testing.
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
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Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5