Iraqi commander calls for 'unity' against US

By Idris Okuducu

ISTANBUL (AA) - An Iraqi commander on Friday called on all national forces in the country to unite against the U.S., following the killing of an Iranian top commander in a U.S. airstrike in Iraq's capital Bagdad.

Hadi Al-Amiri, the commander of Badr Organization affiliated with Hashd al-Shaabi -- an Iran-backed militant group, known also as Popular Mobilization Units (PMU).

Al-Amiri's statement came following the killing of Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps’ Quds Force and Abu-Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy head of Iraq's Hashd al-Shaabi.

Al-Amiri, also leading the pro-Iran Fatah Alliance and known for his close ties with Soleimani and al-Muhandis, described the attack as "a dirty crime."

The U.S. early Friday confirmed that it carried out a strike that killed Soleimani in Baghdad.

Soleimani was the long-time commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps' Quds Force, which has been designated as a terror group in the U.S. since 2007. The group is estimated to have 20,000 members.

Shortly after reports of the airstrike, U.S. President Donald Trump posted the U.S. flag on Twitter with no comment.

The Pentagon accused Soleimani of planning to carry out attacks on U.S. diplomats and service members in Iraq and the region, saying the slain leader was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans and coalition service members.

* Writing by Dilara Hamit in Ankara.