Iraqi PM joins funeral procession for slain Iranian general Qassem Suleimani

Iraqi militia leader Hadi Al Ameri also seen at procession for Quds force commander and others killed in US air strike

Mourners gesture as they attend the funeral of Qassem Suleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, in Baghdad. Reuters

Iraqi Honor Guard perform as they attend the funeral of the Iranian Major-General Qassem Suleimani, head of the elite Quds Force and the Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, in Baghdad. Reuters

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi attends the funeral of the Iranian Major-General Qassem Suleimani, head of the elite Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards, and the Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, in Baghdad. Reuters

Mourners gesture as they attend the funeral of Qassem Suleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, in Baghdad. Reuters

Mohammed al-Tabatabai (centre), deputy secretary general of the Asaib Ahl Al Haq faction, attends the funeral of Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi Al Muhandis and Iranian military commander Qassem Suleimani, in Kadhimiya, a Shiite pilgrimage district of Baghdad. AFP

People gather at the funeral of Qassem Suleimani and the Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in Baghdad, Iraq. Reuters

Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces hold a funeral for the Iranian Major-General Qassem Suleimani, top commander of the elite Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards, and the Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, in Baghdad. Reuters

Mourners wave the national flag and the Hashed al-Shaabi flag as they carry the portrait of Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis during a funeral procession, for Muhandis and Iranian military commander Qassem Suleimani, in Kadhimiya, a Shiite pilgrimage district of Baghdad. AFP

Kataib Hezbollah Iraqi militia gather ahead of the funeral of the Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, in Baghdad. Reuters

A woman holds the picture of the Iranian Major-General Qassem Suleimani ahead of the funeral in Baghdad. Reuters

People gather at the funeral of Qassem Suleimani and the Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in Baghdad, Iraq. Reuters

Former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki attends the funeral of the Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, top commander of the elite Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards, and the Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, in Baghdad. REUTERS

Head of the Popular Mobilization forces Faleh al-Fayyad (R) attends the funeral of the Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards, and the Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, in Baghdad. REUTERS

Mourners react as they attend the funeral of the Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards, and the Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, in Baghdad. REUTERS

Mourners attend the funeral of the Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards, and the Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, in Baghdad. REUTERS

Mourners surround a car carrying the coffin of Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis during a funeral procession, for him and nine others, in Baghdad's district of al-Jadriya, near the high-security Green Zone. AFP

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi on Saturday joined thousands of mourners in a funeral procession for Iranian military commander Maj Gen Qassem Suleimani, Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi Al Muhandis and others killed in a US air strike in Baghdad.

Hadi Al Ameri, another militia leader, and Shiite cleric Ammar Al Hakim also took part alongside other pro-Iran figures.

Suleimani was Tehran's most prominent military commander and oversaw the operations of Iran's proxy forces in the Middle East.

Muhandis was the deputy commander of Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces, an umbrella grouping of paramilitary groups largely aligned with Iran. They were among 10 people killed in the US strike on Suleimani's convoy as it left Baghdad airport on Friday.

The procession began at the Imam Kadhim shrine, one of the most revered sites for Shiite Muslims, with mourners marching in the streets alongside militia vehicles. The procession will travel to Karbala and end in Najaf, both cities considered holy by Shiites.

A video posted on Twitter showed mourners waving Iraqi and militia flags and chanting slogans against the United States as they gathered in Baghdad.

The US said Suleimani was killed because he was plotting attacks on its diplomats and forces in the region.

Hostilities between the US and Iran have been playing out in Iraq since last week after pro-Iranian militia attacked the US embassy in Baghdad in the aftermath of a deadly US air raid on locations belonging to Kataib Hezbollah militia, which was founded by Muhandis.

Friday's attack divided Iraqi public opinion. Many condemned the strikes, seeing Suleimani as a hero for his role in defeating ISIS in Iraq.

Others voiced approval, saying Suleimani and Muhandis had backed the use of force against unarmed anti-government protesters last year and established militias that demonstrators blame for many of Iraq's social and economic woes.

Many Iraqis criticised Washington for killing the men on Iraqi soil and possibly plunging Iraq into another war.